- Date
- May 6, 2006, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC)
- Place
- Hampton Roads, VA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N636WPHelo Werks HX-1 Wasp
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 29, 2006
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Richmond, VA
- FAA report
- 20060506023009A
- Case key
- 63640
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
The inadvertent activation of the helicopter manufacturer's improperly located, unguarded fuel shutoff switch.
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
During a flight test of the experimental helicopter, the pilot inadvertently shut off the fuel supply to the engine while flaring to land, approximately 15 feet above the ground. The helicopter impacted the ground tail first, the landing gear cross tubes collapsed and broke at the fuselage attach points, and the main rotor struck the tail boom. Examination of the helicopter revealed that the fuel shut off switch was unguarded and mounted on the cyclic.
Factual narrative
During a flight test of the experimental helicopter, the pilot inadvertently shut off the fuel supply to the engine while flaring to land, approximately 15 feet above the ground. The helicopter impacted the ground tail first, the landing gear cross tubes collapsed and broke at the fuselage attach points, and the main rotor struck the tail boom. Examination of the helicopter revealed that the fuel shut off switch was unguarded and mounted on the cyclic.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N636WP
- Reported as
- Helo Werks HX-1 Wasp
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 001
- Engine
- Airesearch JFS-100-13A, 90 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Anthony D. Pena
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · March 1, 2006
- Departed
- PVG · Hampton Roads, VA
- Destination
- PVG · Hampton Roads, VA
- Airport
- PVG · Hampton Roads Executive
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
- 47
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 150 total · 1 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.79 inHg
- Observed at
- SFQ, 9 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.