- Date
- March 23, 1992, 17:07 local (22:07 UTC)
- Place
- Bowling Green, KY
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N191JDJames D. Riehm Rotorway Exec
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 26, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920323007999A
- Case key
- 11740
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate rotor RPM which resulted in the inflight loss of control. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience and overconfidence in his ability.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot had told friends that he was teaching himself to fly the helicopter instead of attending the manufacturer's training course. He also reported that he had been practicing autorotation from 4000 feet MSL and doing a power recovery at 2000 feet MSL. On the day of the accident, the pilot indicated that he felt confident enough to do a power off autorotation to the ground. Shortly before the accident, a witness said he heard the helicopter fly over at 600 feet AGL headed south. He heard two loud bangs and then he noticed the helicopter spinning to the right. The helicopter descended and crashed in an open field. The investigation did not disclose evidence of mechanical malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N191JD
- Reported as
- James D. Riehm Rotorway Exec (ROTORWAY E)
- Category
- Helicopter, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 544
- Engine
- Rotorway RW152, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- James Dennis Riehm
- Registered owner
- James Dennis Riehm
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · April 15, 1991
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 40
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BWG, 4 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.