- Date
- October 25, 1996, 13:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Redmond, OR
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N728PCKarmy Rotorway Exec
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 18, 1997
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19961025033909A
- Case key
- 42534
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 pilot's failure to remove the dolly wheels during the preflight inspection.
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 crosswind takeoff the helicopter rolled over. The pilot reported that he failed to remove the dolly wheels from the helicopter, leaving an 18 inch handle dangling from the skid. During takeoff, the handle caught in the ground and the helicopter rolled over.
Factual narrative
On October 25, 1996, about 1345 Pacific daylight time, a Karmy Rotorway Exec, N728PC, registered to the pilot, rolled over on takeoff and was substantially damaged. The pilot, the sole occupant, received minor injuries.
The pilot reported that he failed to remove the dolly wheels from the helicopter, leaving an 18 inch handle dangling from the skid. During takeoff with a cross wind, the handle caught in the ground and the helicopter rolled over.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N728PC
- Reported as
- Karmy Rotorway Exec (ROTORWAY E)
- Category
- Helicopter, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 6073
- Airframe hours
- 97
- Engine
- Rotorway 162F, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- James R. Karmy
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- 62OR
- Airport
- 62OR · Cinder Butte Heliport
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
- 49
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,314 total · 104 in this make and model · 1,234 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 4 knots, gusting 8
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.