CEN10LA558

A witness working in a field observed the helicopter fly overhead and heard the rotor blades making "funny noises." Shortly after, the witness lost sight of the helicopter and observed a plume of smoke. A postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed no pre-impact mechanical anomalies with the flight control system, rotor system, or engine. A technical representative of the helicopter manufacturer examined the photographs taken on scene, and reported that the main rotor blades displayed signatures consistent with a decay of the main rotor rpm.

On September 25, 2010, about 0925 central daylight time, a Worthington Rotorway International Exec 90, N520RW, impacted terrain near Pattison, Texas. The pilot, the sole occupant on board, was fatally injured. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The helicopter was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight originated from the pilot's residence in Brookshire, Texas, approximately 0915. According to the lead Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who went to the scene, this was the first flight of the helicopter since the owner had performed some maintenance. The work had not been recorded in the helicopter's maintenance records. A witness working in a nearby field said he heard and saw the helicopter fly overhead. He said the "rotor blades were making funny noises." He then observed a plume of smoke. He did not witness the impact. The witness did not submit a written statement. FAA inspectors examined the wreckage and said they found no anomalies with the flight control system, rotor system, or engine. Photographs taken at the accident site were sent to Rotorway International. A company representative told FAA that the main rotor blades displayed signatures consistent with a decay of the main rotor rpm. According to the autopsy report, death was attributed to "massive blunt force injuries consistent with high-speed deceleration trauma." According to FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute (CAMI) toxicology report, ethanol was detected in various tissue samples, but putrefaction was noted. Diphenhydramine, an antihistamine, was detected in liver and kidney tissue. A postaccident examination of the maintenance records revealed that construction of N520RW (serial number 6839) was completed in June 2007. It was powered by a 150 horsepower Rotorway RI 162F engine. The pilot performed the last conditional inspection on August 26, 2008, and 25-hour and 50-hour inspections on September 15. The pilot's most recent logbook containing entries from March 19, 2010, to August 29, 2010, was examined. The pilot had submitted to three flight reviews, all on March 19, 2010, in a Bell 47 and in a Robinson R-22 and R-44. His total time was 196.5 hours.