# NTSB CEN20CA180: Rotorway Exec, N311RM, Rochester, IN, May 16, 2020

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report
- Date: May 16, 2020, 19:10 local (23:10 UTC)
- Place: Rochester, IN
- Coordinates: 41.066112, -86.189163 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.0661&lon=-86.1892&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering-hover: Dynamic rollover](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Flight Standards District Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 101282
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN20CA180
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101282/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101282
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA180

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during lift off. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent experience flying a helicopter.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Experience/qualifications: recent experience](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031035): Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 76 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02031035/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering-hover: Dynamic rollover](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 161 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The commercial pilot reported that he intended to take the helicopter out to practice hover flight. As he started to lift the helicopter off of the ground and move towards the grass, he lost control of the helicopter and it impacted the ground. An examination of the helicopter revealed substantial damage to the tail boom and main rotor. The pilot attributed his inability to maintain control of the helicopter to a stronger than expected crosswind and that he had not flown a helicopter for about 19 years.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N311RM (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: ROTORWAY EXEC (F)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 1672
- Year built: 1997
- Airframe hours: 206
- Engines: Rotorway 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed: RCR, Rochester, IN
- Destination: RCR, Rochester, IN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: RCR, Fulton County

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 84; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 3, unknown; last flight review May 22, 2019; seat: right; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 1,357 total, 80 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days, 0 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 90° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observed at: KRCR

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20200516006249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200516006249A), May 16, 2020: Rotorway 162F, Rochester, IN, Substantial damage. On may 16, 2020, at approximately 19:10 local time (23:10 zulu). A Rotorway 162F experimental helicopter, piloted by [privacy data omitted], a commercially…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 5, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101282. 175 KB in all.

- Interview with Pilot (item 1, .PDF, 61 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485889&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Interview%20with%20Pilot-Master.PDF
- Photo of Helicopter at Accident Site (item 2, .PDF, 114 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40485890&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%20of%20Helicopter%20at%20Accident%20Site-Master.PDF

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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