# NTSB DEN07LA044: Marino Exec 162F-1995, N113JD, Baldwin City, KS, January 3, 2007 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 3, 2007, 15:05 local (21:05 UTC) - Place: Baldwin City, KS - Coordinates: 38.837501, -95.181945 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8375&lon=-95.1819&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor - Status: Completed, report April 25, 2007 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 65119 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN07LA044 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/65119/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN07LA044 ## Probable cause the failure of the tail rotor drive belt for undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, cruise - normal - rotor system,tail rotor - failure (cause) - reason for occurrence undetermined (cause) - Loss of control - in flight, cruise - directional control - not possible - Forced landing, descent - emergency - autorotation - initiated, pilot in command - terrain condition - none suitable (contributing factor) - In flight collision with object, descent - emergency - object - tree(s) ## Analysis Approximately 15 minutes into the flight, the tail rotor failed, and the helicopter entered an uncommanded turn to the left. The pilot initiated an autorotation to an opening in a wooded area. The pilot flared the helicopter over the trees, and the helicopter settled into the trees. As the pilot increased the collective, the helicopter rolled to the left and came to rest inverted in the trees. Examination of the helicopter by the pilot and a mechanic revealed that the tail rotor drive system uses three belts interconnected via pulleys at various points in the tail boom, to drive the tail rotor. The intermediate tail rotor drive belt was shredded and destroyed. The forward and aft tail rotor drive belts were intact and undamaged. At the time of the accident, the tail rotor drive belts had accumulated approximately 80 hours. The tail rotor drive belts had a life limit of 250 hours. The reason for the failure of the tail rotor drive belt could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On January 3, 2007, at 1505 central standard time, a Marino Exec 162F-1995 single-engine homebuilt helicopter, N113JD, sustained substantial damage when it impacted trees and terrain during a forced landing following a loss of control near Baldwin City, Kansas. The airline transport pilot sustained serious injuries and the passenger sustained minor injuries. The helicopter was registered to and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight departed Paola, Kansas, approximately 1500, and was en route to Lawrence, Kansas. According to the pilot, approximately 15 minutes into the flight, the "tail rotor failed," and the helicopter entered an uncommanded turn to the left. The pilot initiated an autorotation to an opening in a wooded area. The pilot flared the helicopter over the trees, and the helicopter settled into the trees. As the pilot increased the collective, the helicopter rolled to the left and came to rest inverted in the trees. The fuselage and tail boom sustained substantial damage and the main rotor blades were destroyed. Examination of the helicopter by the pilot and a mechanic revealed that the tail rotor drive system uses three belts interconnected via pulleys at various points in the tail boom, to drive the tail rotor. The intermediate tail rotor drive belt was shredded and destroyed. The forward and aft tail rotor drive belts were intact and undamaged. At the time of the accident, the tail rotor drive belts had accumulated approximately 80 hours. The tail rotor drive belts had a life limit of 250 hours. The reason for the failure of the tail rotor drive belt could not be determined. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N113JD](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N113JD-2008-12-09), registration cancelled 2008-12-09, S/N 6107, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Marino Exec 162F-1995 - Registry model: [Marino Jack C SR EXEC 162F-1995](https://openairdocs.org/model/marino-jack-c-sr-exec-162f-1995) (registry code 0560198) (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: 6107 - Airframe hours: 455 - Engines: unknown reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: James L. Dohrman - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: 100 hour, December 1, 2006 - Departed: K81, OSAWATOMIE/PAOL, KS - Destination: LWC, LAWRENCE, KS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: serious; flight instructor, commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 1, 2006; seat: left; flight hours: 13,000 total, 12,500 as pilot in command, 40 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 220° at 14 knots, gusting 20 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 39 °F ## 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 20070103000819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070103000819A), Jan 3, 2007: Amtr EXEC162F, Baldwin City, KS, Substantial damage. (-23) On January 3, 2007 at approx 1445 hrs local time, aircraft N113JD, rotorway/exec 162F departed paola, Kansas (miami county airport K81), with one… 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.