# NTSB DEN00LA131: Rotorway Executive 162F, N6399L, Tooele, UT, July 16, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 16, 2000, 12:50 local (18:50 UTC) - Place: Tooele, UT - Coordinates: 40.56916, -112.33065 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5692&lon=-112.3307&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed, report March 2, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49705 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN00LA131 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49705/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA131 ## Probable cause The pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, which resulted in a downwind landing, and his failure to maintain aircraft control. A factor was the tailwind. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - weather evaluation - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled ## Analysis The winds had been 'light, but had changed direction and were starting to gust' when the pilot landed for fuel. He decided he had time to practice some additional maneuvers, so he took off to the south. He heard another pilot announce he was departing on runway 16 so when he decided to land, he entered the traffic pattern for runway 16. He said he was about 10 feet off the ground and at a speed of 10 knots when the helicopter 'just drop[ped] out of transitional lift. . .All of a sudden, [the] tail came up [and the] nose went down. [I] pulled back and up on [the] collective [control], but could not recover.' The pilot reported that the wind had shifted from the south to the north, and told an FAA inspector that it 'push[ed] me down and flip[ped] me over.' The helicopter began to spun, struck the ground, and rolled over. ## Factual narrative On July 16, 2000, approximately 1250 mountain daylight time, a Carlston Rotorway Executive 162F, N6399L, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during landing at Tooele-Bolinder Field/Tooele Valley Airport, Tooele, Utah. The student pilot, the sole occupant aboard, received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the instructional flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Tooele at an unknown time. According to the pilot's accident report, after practicing flight maneuvers he landed for fuel. The winds had been "light, but had changed direction and were starting to gust." He decided he had time to practice some additional maneuvers, so he took off to the south. He heard another pilot announce he was departing on runway 16 so when he decided to land, he entered the traffic pattern for runway 16. He said he was about 10 feet off the ground and at a speed of 10 knots when the helicopter "just drop[ped] out of transitional (sic) lift. . .All of a sudden, [the] tail came up [and the] nose went down. [I] pulled back and up on [the] collective [control], but could not recover." The pilot reported that the wind had shifted from the south to the north. When an FAA inspector examined the helicopter, the pilot told him the wind shifted, "pushing me down and flipping me over." The helicopter began to spin, struck the ground, and rolled over. The fuselage was extensively damaged and the main rotor blades were destroyed. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N6399L](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6399L-2013-05-13), registration cancelled 2013-05-13, S/N 2598, built 1999 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Rotorway EXECUTIVE 162F (EXECUTIVE) - Registry model: [Carlston Vaughn ROTORWAY EXEC 162F](https://openairdocs.org/model/carlston-vaughn-rotorway-exec-162f) (registry code 05607L4) (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: 2598 - Engines: Rotorway RI162F 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Carl V. Carlston - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: TVY - Destination: TVY - Airport: TVY, Bolinder-Tooele Valley ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 40; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 64 total, 61 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 5 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 5 statute miles - Temperature: 90 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg ## 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 20000716013489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000716013489A), Jul 16, 2000: Tooele, UT, No damage. (-23) Approaching landing area heading south, at approximatley 10-15 feet lost tail rotor authority, the aircraft rotated to the right, lost rotor RPM. The… 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.