# NTSB ERA20CA319: Rotorway Exec 162F, N57AN, Kenansville, FL, September 10, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: September 10, 2020, 10:00 local (14:00 UTC) - Place: Kenansville, FL - Coordinates: 27.876388, -80.988334 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.8764&lon=-80.9883&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 101986 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA319 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101986/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101986 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA319 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter during takeoff. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Jetscream EXEC 162F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=05611FI), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Jetscream EXEC 162F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=05611FI), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Jetscream EXEC 162F, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05611FI), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the experimental amateur-built helicopter reported that during takeoff, when the left skid was coming off the ground, he felt a small jerk, so he moved the cyclic to the left and forward. When the cyclic moved it hit the passenger’s left knee. The passenger “jerked” and the cyclic moved back to the right and the helicopter “instantaneously” rolled over to the right side and struck the ground. The pilot and the passenger were not injured, and the helicopter’s main rotor and tail boom sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions of the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N57AN](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N57AN), registered now, S/N 6557 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Rotorway EXEC 162F - Registry model: [Jetscream EXEC 162F](https://openairdocs.org/model/jetscream-exec-162f) (registry code 05611FI) (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: 6557 - Year built: 2001 - Airframe hours: 363.1 - Engines: Rotoway 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Sarah Business Llc - Registered owner: Sarah Business Llc - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, June 7, 2020 - Departed: Kenansville, FL - Destination: COI, Merritt Island, FL - Airport: PVT, Private Heliport - Equipment: Handheld GPS ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 7, 2020; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 2,600 total, 450 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 86 °F, dew point 79 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: KMLB, 23 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20200910017899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200910017899A), Sep 10, 2020: Jetscream Inc EXEC 162F, Kenanasville, FL, Substantial damage. 09/10/2020 - Received call from regional operations center (1614 EST) stating an anonymous caller contacted the osceola county sheriff's office they smelled… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 12, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101986. 4.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 743 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11391787&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120.1_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Memorandum for record a�� telephone interview, pilot (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11391841&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Record%20of%20Interview-pilot-Rel.pdf - Investigative photos (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 4.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=11404162&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photo%27s-Rel.pdf 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.