- Date
- March 26, 2007, 16:45 local (21:45 UTC)
- Place
- Malta, IL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N162MCMcCall Rotorway 162F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 27, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- DuPage FSDO, Illinois
- FAA report
- 20070326006629A
- Case key
- 65492
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 improper use of the rotorcraft flight controls resulting in a dynamic rollover during takeoff. A factor was the soft ground that the left skid encountered.
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 helicopter sustained substantial damage during a dynamic roll over on takeoff. The pilot made a precautionary landing, in a cornfield, in response to a warning light. After resolving the light issue and during takeoff, the "right skid rose off the ground but the left skid made no attempt to raise and the helicopter abruptly rolled over onto the left skid and continued over until the rotor blades contacted the ground. ... The left skid had sunk into the ground further than it appeared." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter. The pilot's safety recommendation stated, "I could have made a ... more [thorough] check of ground conditions before attempting a takeoff."
Factual narrative
The helicopter sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain when it dynamically rolled over on takeoff following a precautionary landing, in a cornfield, in response to a warning light. The pilot reported, in reference to the takeoff, that the "right skid rose off the ground but the left skid made no attempt to raise and the helicopter abruptly rolled over onto the left skid and continued over until the rotor blades contacted the ground. ... The left skid had sunk into the ground further than it appeared." The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter. The pilot's safety recommendation stated, "I could have made a ... more [thorough] check of ground conditions before attempting a takeoff."
Aircraft
- Registration
- N162MC
- Reported as
- McCall Rotorway 162F
- Category
- Helicopter, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 6493
- Airframe hours
- 202.3
- Engine
- Rotorway RI 162, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Stephen Doonnan/Lon Dienst
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · November 1, 2006
- Departed
- DKB · De Kalb, IL
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
- 52
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,892 total · 33 in this make and model · 3,853 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 15 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 77 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- DKB
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.