# NTSB IAD01LA109: Rhoades Rotorway Exec 162F, N25GR, Whitehouse, OH, September 30, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 30, 2001, 17:50 local (21:50 UTC) - Place: Whitehouse, OH - Coordinates: 41.51889, -83.803886 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5189&lon=-83.8039&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 13, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 53548 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD01LA109 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53548/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD01LA109 ## Probable cause The soft terrain condition, which resulted in the helicopter's rollover during the forced landing. A factor was the loss of engine power due to engine overtemperature for undetermined reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - cooling system - overtemperature (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - autorotation - performed, pilot in command - Roll over, landing - flare/touchdown - terrain condition - soft (cause) ## Analysis The pilot conducted a 20-minute flight over his farm and was on final approach to his landing pad when the engine started "missing and backfiring," and lost power at approximately 400 feet altitude. The pilot performed an autorotation to a soybean field, and as the helicopter touched down, it slid forward a few feet, then rolled over on its left side when a skid caught in the soft ground. Data downloaded from the FADEC revealed that for a 40-second period near the end of the flight, the engine temperature increased to 123 degrees centigrade, 22 degrees above the redline limit, before it stopped producing power. The FADEC was subsequently installed on a test cell engine, and the #1 and #2 ECUs were operated throughout the engine's full operational range, independently and together, without malfunction. ## Factual narrative On September 30, 2001, at 1750 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt Rotorway Exec 162F helicopter, N25GR, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Whitehouse, Ohio. The certificated airline transport pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local personal flight that originated at the pilot/owner's home in Whitehouse. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the pilot, he conducted a 20-minute flight over his farm and was on final approach for his landing pad at the time of the occurrence. The engine started "missing and backfiring" and losing power at approximately 400 feet altitude. The pilot performed an autorotation to a soybean field, and as the helicopter touched down, it slid forward a few feet, then rolled over on its left side. The pilot also stated: "As far as controllability during the autorotation, everything worked the way it's supposed to. It wasn't until I got into the soybeans that the skid sunk in. Speed-wise it was all but stopped. The skid sunk in and the helicopter rolled onto its left side." The pilot reported 11,500 hours of flight experience, 65 hours of which were in helicopters. The pilot reported 20 hours of flight experience in the Rotorway Exec 162F. The pilot's most recent biennial flight review was completed June 29, 2001. The pilot's most recent first class medical certificate was issued on February 2, 2001. The helicopter was examined at the scene by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector. According to the inspector's statement, the helicopter came to rest on its left side with the tailboom severed. The aft portion of the tailboom, with the tail rotor and tail rotor gearbox attached, was located about 25 feet from the main wreckage. The helicopter was equipped with a Rotorway International Fully Automatic Digital Engine Control (FADEC) system. According to the FAA inspector, the FADEC unit indicated an ignition failure code. The FADEC system was removed from the helicopter, and shipped to the manufacturer for examination under the supervision of another FAA inspector. According to the inspector's report, data downloaded from the FADEC revealed that for a 40-second period near the end of the accident flight, the engine temperature increased to 123 degrees centigrade, 22 degrees above the redline limit, before the engine stopped producing power. The FADEC system consisted of a primary and secondary Engine Control Unit (ECU). The FADEC was installed on an engine in a test cell, and the #1 and #2 ECUs operated the engine through its full operational range independently and together without an engine malfunction. The weather at Toledo, Ohio, 4 miles north of the accident site was clear skies with winds from 060 degrees at 3 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N25GR](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N25GR-2003-12-23), registration cancelled 2003-12-23, S/N 6134, built 2001 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Rhoades Rotorway Exec 162F - Registry model: [Rhoades Gordon L RTRWY INTL EXEC 162F](https://openairdocs.org/model/rhoades-gordon-l-rtrwy-intl-exec-162f) (registry code 05602PS) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotorway RW152](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotorway-rw152) (registry code 55006, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter, amateur-built - Serial number: 6134 - Airframe hours: 10 - Engines: Rotorway 162F 150 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Gordon L. Rhoades - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: August 27, 2001, 10 hours before - Departed: NONE, Whitehouse, OH - Airport: NONE, Private ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 52; injuries: none; private, airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review June 29, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 11,500 total, 20 in this make and model, 8,000 as pilot in command, 150 in the last 90 days, 45 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: KTDZ, 4 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 20010930027559A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010930027559A), Sep 30, 2001: Whitehouse, OH, No damage. (-23) The pilot attempted to land an experimental helicopter, N25GR, at his residence [privacy data omitted] the pilot reported the helicopter engine started… 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.