# NTSB SEA08CA055: Brooks Exec 162F, N66012, Santa Maria, CA, December 22, 2007

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: December 22, 2007, 13:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place: Santa Maria, CA
- Coordinates: 34.898887, -120.457496
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.8989&lon=-120.4575&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report February 28, 2008
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 67321
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA08CA055
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67321/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08CA055

## Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter during hover.  Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in rotorcraft.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - in flight, hover - in ground effect
  - lack of total experience in type of aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, hover - in ground effect
  - dynamic rollover - encountered, pilot in command
  - terrain condition - ground

## Analysis

The pilot was hovering his amateur built experimental helicopter for the first time. Upon liftoff, the helicopter began drifting to the left, and the pilot lowered the collective without controlling the drift to the left. The left skid contacted the ground, and the helicopter experienced dynamic rollover and rolled over coming to rest on its left side. The pilot had a private pilot certificate with a single engine land airplane rating. He was not rated in helicopters and his total time in rotorcraft was 12 hours, all of which were dual instruction in the accident make and model of helicopter.

## Factual narrative

The pilot was hovering his amateur built experimental helicopter for the first time. Upon liftoff, the helicopter began drifting to the left, and the pilot lowered the collective without controlling the drift to the left. The left skid contacted the ground, and the helicopter experienced dynamic rollover and rolled over coming to rest on its left side. The pilot had a private pilot certificate with a single engine land airplane rating. He was not rated in helicopters and his total time in rotorcraft was 12 hours, all of which were dual instruction in the accident make and model of helicopter.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N66012](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N66012), registered now, S/N 6876, built 2007 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Brooks Exec 162F
- Registry model: [Brooks Charles G EXEC 162F](https://openairdocs.org/model/brooks-charles-g-exec-162f) (registry code 05623IZ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotorway RI-162F](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotorway-ri-162f) (registry code 55007, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter, amateur-built
- Serial number: 6876
- Engines: Rotorway 162F reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed: SMX, Santa Maria, CA
- Destination: SMX
- Airport: SMX, Santa Maria Public

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; flight hours: 100 total, 12 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Lowest ceiling: none

## 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 20071222830139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20071222830139A), Dec 22, 2007: Amtr EXEC162F, Santa Maria, CA, Substantial damage. (-23) The rotorway exec 162F did a dynamic rollover as the pilot [privacy data omitted] lifted the helicopter off the ground. The helicopter started drifting…

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.

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