# NTSB LAX03LA050: Anderson Rotorway Exec 162F, N30545, Phoenix, AZ, December 16, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 16, 2002, 09:03 local (16:03 UTC) - Place: Phoenix, AZ - Coordinates: 33.683334, -112.083335 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.6833&lon=-112.0833&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 29, 2004 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 56209 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX03LA050 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56209/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX03LA050 ## Probable cause The separation of the exhaust valve stem in the number 1 cylinder, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power during the landing flare and a hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malf, landing - flare/touchdown - engine assembly,valve,exhaust - separation (cause) - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - Roll over, landing - flare/touchdown ## Analysis After takeoff on an instructional flight, the helicopter experienced engine problems. The instructor made a decision to execute a normal approach to land, and during the flare, a loud "growling" noise was heard. This was followed by a reduction in rotor rpm and power. The helicopter made ground contact with forward speed, tipped forward, and the nose and main rotor blades contacted the ground. The helicopter rolled over and came to rest on its left side. Post accident examination revealed that the exhaust valve stem in the number 1 cylinder had fractured and separated, and that extensive mechanical damage occured to the interior of the number 1 cylinder. ## Factual narrative On December 16, 2002, at 0903 mountain standard time, an experimental Anderson Rotorway Exec 162F helicopter, N30545, rolled over during a hard landing following a loss of engine power on final approach to Deer Valley Airport (DVT), Phoenix, Arizona. The owner was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The instructor and the student/owner were not injured; the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The local area instructional flight departed DVT at 0902. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) accident coordinator interviewed the instructor and student. During a normal takeoff, approximately 300 feet above ground level (agl), a sudden loss of engine power occurred, but power was quickly regained. The helicopter continued to climb and about 500 feet agl, another power loss and recovery occurred. The instructor then executed a normal approach to land. As he increased power during the landing flare, a loud "growling" noise was heard followed by a reduction of rotor rpm and power. The helicopter made ground contact in a flat attitude but with forward speed. The tail of the helicopter moved upward, which resulted in the nose and main rotor blades contacting the ground. The helicopter rolled over and came to rest on its left side. The owner held a private pilot certificate with a single engine land airplane rating and was a student pilot in helicopters. The instructor held a flight instructor certificate for helicopters. A post accident engine examination was performed at Rotorway International in Chandler, Arizona, under the supervision of the FAA. The number 1 cylinder exhibited damage to the top of the piston and the inside of the cylinder head. The exhaust valve stem was broken. The number 1 piston had pieces broken off the periphery, which allowed oil to pass through to the top of the cylinder and foul the spark plugs. Repeated requests were made to the flight instructor and owner to complete Safety Board Form 6120.1/2, but no responses were received. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N30545](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N30545-2014-12-04), registration cancelled 2014-12-04, S/N 6554 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ANDERSON ROTORWAY EXEC 162F - Registry model: [Anderson Richard S ROTORWAY EXEC 162F](https://openairdocs.org/model/anderson-richard-s-rotorway-exec-162f) (registry code 05612I5) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter, amateur-built - Serial number: 6554 - Engines: Rotorway R1-162F reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Richard Anderson - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: DVT, PHOENIX, AZ - Airport: DVT, Deer Valley Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 41; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim. - Flight instructor; age 50; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 0° at 0 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 52 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.04 inHg - Observed at: DVT ## 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 20021216034109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20021216034109A), Dec 16, 2002: Amtr ROTORWAY162F, Phoenix, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) The ip was instructing the student/owner of N30545 @ dvt. During normal t/o @ approx. 300 ft. (AGL) a sudden loss of engine power was noticed (yaw… ## Other investigations on N30545 (1) 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. - [NTSB LAX02LA071](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA071), Jan 27, 2002: Richard S. Anderson Rotorway Exec 162F (N30545), Willcox, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to compensate for a gust condition and to maintain lateral control while hovering due to restricted cyclic control movement, which resulted from an inadequate control… 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.