# NTSB CEN25LA041: Rotorway Exec 162 F, N280P, Blaine, MN, November 15, 2024

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: November 15, 2024, 04:47 local (10:47 UTC)
- Place: Blaine, MN
- Coordinates: 45.145714, -93.211796
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.1457&lon=-93.2118&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering-hover: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: FAA FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 195497
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA041
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195497/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195497
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA041

## Probable cause

A loss of engine power that resulted in a hard landing.

## Findings

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

- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Maneuvering-hover: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot reported that while hover taxiing the helicopter back to his hangar after a short practice flight, the experimental engine lost power, and he was unable to maintain altitude. Due to the low altitude and the rapid loss of power, the pilot was not able to autorotate, and the helicopter impacted the ground and rolled onto its right side. The fuselage and tail boom sustained substantial damage. Subsequent test runs of the helicopter’s experimental engine did not reveal a reason for the power loss that occurred.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N280P (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: ROTORWAY Exec 162 F
- Category: Helicopter, amateur-built
- Serial number: 6326
- Year built: 2012
- Engines: Rotorway RI-162F 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Airport: ANE, Anoka County/Blaine (Janes Fld)

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 71; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: basicmed, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 240 total, 20 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 0.25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 100 ft overcast
- Temperature: 37 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observed at: KANE
- METAR: METAR KANE 151055Z AUTO 00000KT 1/4SM FG OVC001 03/03 A3006 RMK AO2=

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 22, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195497. 10.8 MB in all.

- Record of conversation -- pilot (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18578130&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20-%20pilot-Rel.pdf
- Video of engine test run (provided by pilot) (item 2, MOV, 10.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18412678&FileExtension=mov&FileName=Engine%20run-Rel.mov
- Accident photos (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 4 photos, 688 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18412996&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.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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