# NTSB MIA99LA243: Powers Rotorway Exec 162, N314SP, Lutz, FL, August 28, 1999 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 28, 1999, 11:40 local (15:40 UTC) - Place: Lutz, FL - Coordinates: 28.130111, -82.460563 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=28.1301&lon=-82.4606&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 30, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 47269 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA99LA243 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/47269/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA99LA243 ## Probable cause a loss of power due to undetermined reasons, resulting in a forced landing and subsequent impact with the ground. A factor in this accident was the pilot was not qualified or certified in helicopters. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power, cruise - powerplant - undetermined (cause) - Forced landing, emergency descent/landing - Hard landing, emergency descent/landing - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - lack of certification, pilot in command (contributing factor) - In flight collision with terrain/water, emergency descent/landing - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis A Sheriff's deputy, that lived near the crash site, saw the helicopter in a field, noted that a crash had occurred, and that there was no one at the helicopter. The deputy noted that the helicopter was sitting upright, the tail section and tail rotor had 'sheered off,' the main rotor blades were bent and broken. The deputy reported, '...a citizen passerby stopped and said, 'He did it again.' I asked the citizen if he knew whose helicopter it was and the citizen pointed to a house....' The pilot told the deputy, '...he had been flying the aircraft when it crashed...he was up in the air about 200 feet, when he lost power and then auto gyrated back down into the field...he hit the ground hard which caused the blades to bend down and sheer off the tail section. On April 14, 2000, the pilot submitted the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, and stated, '...Lost electronic ignition....alternator not working and battery discharged.' The pilot removed the helicopter from the crash site without permission, and never notified anyone of the accident. An FAA inspector went to the pilot/owner's house, observed the helicopter in his backyard, and said, '...[the pilot] would not answer the door.' He saw a pink helicopter with tail damage, and the rotor had been removed. The pilot was not helicopter rated, and was not qualified or certified to fly the accident helicopter. ## Factual narrative On August 28, 1999, about 1140 eastern daylight time, a Powers Rotorway Exec 162 experimental helicopter, N314SP, registered to an individual, impacted with the ground during a forced landing near Tampa, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 91 local personal flight. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. The private-rated pilot reported no injuries. The flight had departed from the Tampa North Airport at an unknown time. According to the Pasco County Sheriff's Office, when their deputy, who lived near the crash site, and saw that an accident had occurred, arrived at the crash site there was no one at the helicopter. The deputy noted that the helicopter was in a field about 600 feet from a dead end road. The helicopter was sitting upright, the tail section and tail rotor had "sheered off," the main rotor blades were bent and broken. The deputy reported, "...a citizen passerby stopped and said, 'He did it again.' I asked the citizen if he knew whose helicopter it was and the citizen pointed to a house...." The deputy went to the house and spoke to the pilot. The pilot told him, "...he had been flying the aircraft when it crashed...he was just flying around the airport where he keeps the helicopter...he was up in the air about 200 feet, when he lost power and then auto gyrated back down into the field...he hit the ground hard which caused the blades to bend down and sheer off the tail section. He does not know exactly why he lost power, but suspects an electrical problem...." On April 14, 2000, the pilot submitted the NTSB Form 6120.1/2, and stated, "...Lost electronic ignition...alternator not working and battery discharged." According to the FAA, another witness saw the helicopter after it was damaged, and saw the pilot remove the helicopter on a trailer. The pilot never notified anyone of the accident and removed the helicopter without permission. The FAA was notified by the sheriff. An FAA inspector went to the pilot/owner's house and observed the helicopter in his backyard. The FAA inspector said, "...[the pilot] would not answer the door. I observed a person working on the aircraft when I arrived...a car was in the driveway. I took a couple photos over the fence...I saw a pink helicopter with tail damage. The rotor had been removed." The pilot was not helicopter rated, and was not qualified certified to fly the accident helicopter. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N314SP](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N314SP-2018-01-17), registration cancelled 2018-01-17, S/N 02SP (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: POWERS ROTORWAY EXEC 162 (ROTORWAY E) - Registry model: [Powers Scott ROTORWAY EXEC](https://openairdocs.org/model/powers-scott-rotorway-exec) (registry code 05606MA) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter, amateur-built - Serial number: 02SP - Engines: Rotorway UNK reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Scott E. Powers - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: X39 - Airport: X39, Tampa North Aero Park ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, invalid medical for flight; seat: left; flight hours: 230 total, 35 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 77 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: TPA, 7 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 19990828025369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990828025369A), Aug 28, 1999: Amtr ROTORWAYEXEC, Tampa, FL, Substantial damage. (.19) On August 28, 1999, about 1140 eastern daylight time, a powers rotorway exec 162 experimental helicopter, N314SP, registered to an individual, impacted… 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.