- Date
- November 4, 2008, 07:45 local (12:45 UTC)
- Place
- West Chester, PA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N8286DSundt Daniel N Rotorway Exec 162-F
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 24, 2008
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20081104850419A
- Case key
- 69415
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 failure to maintain an adequate clearance above terrain while performing a pedal turn.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot/builder of the amateur-built Rotorway Exec 162-F stated that while hovering the helicopter over a taxiway, he initiated a 180-degree left pedal turn. During the turn, the helicopter rolled right and impacted the ground on its right side. The helicopter had accumulated about 4 total flight hours since the pilot had completed building it. The pilot reported that he possessed about 2,000 total hours of flight experience, with 24 hours in rotorcraft (all of which were in the accident helicopter make and model). Additionally, the pilot also held a solo endorsement to fly the accident helicopter make and model. The pilot reported that there were no problems with the performance and handling of the helicopter. The pilot further stated that he believed he may have been hovering the helicopter closer to the ground than he had previously thought while performing the pedal turn, and that one of the skids may have impacted the pavement during the turn and initiated the rollover.
Factual narrative
The pilot/builder of the amateur-built Rotorway Exec 162-F stated that while hovering the helicopter over a taxiway, he initiated a 180-degree left pedal turn. During the turn, the helicopter rolled right and impacted the ground on its right side. The helicopter had accumulated about 4 total flight hours since the pilot had completed building it. The pilot reported that he possessed about 2,000 total hours of flight experience, with 24 hours in rotorcraft (all of which were in the accident helicopter make and model). Additionally, the pilot also held a solo endorsement to fly the accident helicopter make and model. The pilot reported that there were no problems with the performance and handling of the helicopter. The pilot further stated that he believed he may have been hovering the helicopter closer to the ground than he had previously thought while performing the pedal turn, and that one of the skids may have impacted the pavement during the turn and initiated the rollover.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8286D
- Reported as
- Sundt Daniel N Rotorway Exec 162-F
- Category
- Helicopter, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 6742
- Airframe hours
- 4
- Engine
- Rotorway International RI 162F, 147 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · September 11, 2008
- Departed
- OQN · West Chester, PA
- Destination
- OQN · West Chester, PA
- Airport
- OQN · Brandywine 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
- 60
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 30, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,001 total · 24 in this make and model · 1,881 as pilot in command · 26 in the last 90 days · 19 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,200 ft broken
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.40 inHg
- Observed at
- MWS, 13 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.