# NTSB CEN25LA123: Caldwell C W 162F, N124CW, Mounds, OK, March 13, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: March 13, 2025, 17:45 local (22:45 UTC)
- Place: Mounds, OK
- Coordinates: 35.869745, -96.061985 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.8697&lon=-96.0620&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing: Dynamic rollover](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 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
- NTSB case key (mKey): 199860
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA123
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199860/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199860
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA123

## Probable cause

The student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter during a precautionary landing, which resulted in a dynamic roll over and postimpact fire.

## Findings

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

- [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Caldwell C W 162F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=05617UR), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Caldwell C W 162F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05617UR), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Landing: Dynamic rollover](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231) (defining event); cases with it: [Caldwell C W 162F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231/sequence.md?model=05617UR), [All aircraft, 161 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The student pilot stated that while flying the experimental helicopter, the tail rotor kept pulling to the left. He attempted to land the helicopter to troubleshoot the issue when the skid got stuck in mud, and the helicopter rolled over. The engine’s hot exhaust caught the grass on fire, which then ignited the helicopter. The pilot and passenger egressed without issue, but the fire continued and destroyed the helicopter. The helicopter’s maintenance logbooks were onboard and were consumed by the fire. Due to the condition of the helicopter after being destroyed by fire, and the pilot not making the wreckage available, a postaccident examination was not possible. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N124CW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N124CW), registered now, S/N 6855, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CALDWELL C W 162F
- Registry model: [Caldwell C W 162F](https://openairdocs.org/model/caldwell-c-w-162f) (registry code 05617UR) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter, amateur-built
- Serial number: 6855
- Year built: 2004
- Engines: Rotorway R1-162F 150 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; student; last flight review February 13, 2025

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter: 29.61 inHg
- Observed at: KRVS, 11 nm away
- METAR: KRVS 132253Z 18009KT 10SM CLR 28/02 A2961 RMK AO2 SLP033 T02780017

## 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 20250313004029A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250313004029A), Mar 13, 2025: Caldwell C W 162F, Mounds, OK, Destroyed. Pilot was coming in for a landing in a grass field. Pilot thought the tail rotor was starting to let loose. He applied opposite torque input and landed. On…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 5, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199860. 3.1 MB in all.

- Memorandum for record a�� accident summary (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 70 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18704548&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20-%20Accident%20Summary-Rel.pdf
- Memorandum for record a�� no 6120 (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 66 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18704966&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20-%20No%206120%20submitted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 2.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18704919&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Docket%20photos-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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.