- Date
- December 2, 1995, 15:05 local (21:05 UTC)
- Place
- Salina, KS
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Standing
- Aircraft
- N50235Robert Eckley Rotorway
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 18, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19951202045359A
- Case key
- 10164
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 maintenance of the helicopter. Factors in the accident were the pilot's lack of proper certification for the operation of the helicopter and his lack of recent experience in type of aircraft.
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 pilot stated that the purpose of the flight was to check the cyclic rigging on the helicopter. This was to be the helicopter's first flight in three years since it was recently taken out of storage. After start up, the helicopter rolled over. The pilot stated that the cause of the accident was the over adjusting of the cycle control during the rigging procedure. The pilot has performed all inspections and rigging on the helicopter. Review of the pilot's logbook revealed that the pilot did not hold a valid medical, airman certificate, nor the student pilot endorsements required to operate the helicopter. The pilot also did not possess a Repairman Certificate.
Factual narrative
On December 2, 1995, at 1505 central standard time, an Eckley Rotorway helicopter, N50235, piloted by the owner/builder, sustained substantial damage when it rolled over after start up at Salina Municipal Airport, Salina, Kansas. The non- certificated pilot reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 CFR Part 91 local flight, no flight plan was filed.
During a telephone interview, the pilot reported that the helicopter had been in storage for the past three years. This was to be the helicopter's first flight since taken out of storage. The pilot stated the purpose of the flight was to check the cyclic rigging. He stated that he has performed all inspections and rigging on the helicopter.
The pilot stated that the cause of the accident was the over adjusting of the cycle control during the rigging procedure which caused the rollover.
Review of the pilot's logbook revealed the pilot did not hold a valid medical, airman certificate, nor the student pilot endorsements required to operate the helicopter. The pilot had no recent flying experience during the past three years. The pilot also did not possess a Repairman Certificate.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N50235
- Reported as
- Robert Eckley Rotorway
- Category
- Helicopter, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 3099
- Airframe hours
- 158
- Engine
- Rotorway RW145, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert L. Eckley
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 19, 1989 · 0 hours before
- Departed
- SLN
- Airport
- SLN · Salina Municipal Airport
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
- 62
- Medical
- Unknown
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 300 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SLN
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.