- Date
- June 18, 2007, 15:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Logan, UT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N203XRRallison Rotorway 162F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 31, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20070618009439A
- Case key
- 66008
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 total loss of engine power due to the pilot inadvertently deactivating the rotor drive clutch assembly. A contributing factor was the downhill terrain condition where he landed, which exceeded the slope limitations of the helicopter.
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 pilot was maneuvering at low altitude to take pictures of his neighbor's business. Suddenly the helicopter's engine "raced free of load", the needles split and he began an autorotation. The aircraft landed with its right skid up slope, and the helicopter rolled onto its left side. The pilot's postaccident examination of the control panel revealed that he had inadvertently deactivated the aircraft's electric clutch by striking its overhead toggle switch with his head. The helicopter's main rotor blades, one tail rotor blade, right landing skid, left horizontal stabilizer, and the tail boom were bent. The landing skid on the left side collapsed.
Factual narrative
The pilot was maneuvering at low altitude to take pictures of his neighbor's business. Suddenly the helicopter's engine "raced free of load", the needles split and he began an autorotation. The aircraft landed with its right skid up slope, and the helicopter rolled onto its left side. The pilot's postaccident examination of the control panel revealed that he had inadvertently deactivated the aircraft's electric clutch by striking its overhead toggle switch with his head. The helicopter's main rotor blades, one tail rotor blade, right landing skid, left horizontal stabilizer, and the tail boom were bent. The landing skid on the left side collapsed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N203XR
- Reported as
- Rallison Rotorway 162F
- Category
- Helicopter, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 6188
- Engine
- Rotorway 162R, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Richard D. Rallison
- Registered owner
- Richard D. Rallison
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- PRIV · Logan, UT
- Destination
- PRIV
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
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- February 1, 2007
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total · 235 in this make and model · 5 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 6 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- LGU
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.