- Date
- September 7, 1991, 18:00 local (Sep 8, 1991, 01:00 UTC)
- Place
- Phoenix, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7456TRotorway Exec 90
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910907038799A
- Case key
- 27353
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
Undetermined.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The helicopter was a factory built prototype for a new kit design and the pilot was a company employee. Sheriffs detectives reported that the pilot had been arrested the evening before for driving under the influence of alcohol. On the afternoon of the accident, the pilot's roommate telephoned the airport and said that the pilot was not to fly because he 'was on something.' The pilot arrived at the airport and took the helicopter. According to the company owner, the pilot stole the helicopter. Witnesses at the lake reported that the helicopter arrived over the lake and began to perform a series of aerobatic like maneuvers. The helicopter reportedly buzzed several boats in the lake at a low level. After about 30 minutes of maneuvering, the witnesses said the helicopter seemed to stop, then dive into the lake. Sheriff's detectives reported that two suicide notes were found in the pilot's automobile parked at the airport.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7456T
- Reported as
- Rotorway Exec 90
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 5001
- Airframe hours
- 136
- Engine
- Rotorway RI-162, 146 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Rotorway International
- Registered owner
- Cobb International, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · August 1, 1991 · 7 hours before
- Departed
- GEU · Glendale, AZ
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
- 23
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,757 total · 1,500 in this make and model · 1,695 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 99 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N7456T · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.