- Date
- July 4, 2012, 17:09 local (Jul 5, 2012, 00:09 UTC)
- Place
- Quincy, WA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N385AROmlin Robert G Exec 162F Rotorway
- Defining event
- Enroute-cruise: Part(s) separation from AC
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120704013689A
- Case key
- 84198
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 ensure that a flag attached to the landing skid was properly secured, which resulted in its in-flight separation and contact with the tail rotor.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, before departure, he attached a 3-foot by 4-foot American flag to the landing skids of the helicopter. Following an uneventful takeoff, he climbed to an altitude of about 200 feet above ground level. Shortly thereafter, the flag disconnected from the skids and impacted the tail rotor. The pilot initiated an autorotation to a nearby field. Examination of the helicopter by the pilot revealed that about half of the tail boom and tail rotor assembly had separated. The pilot reported that before the flag separated, no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter existed that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that prior to departure he attached a three-foot by four-foot American flag to the landing skids of the helicopter. Following an uneventful takeoff, he climbed to an altitude of about 200 feet above ground level. Shortly thereafter, the flag disconnected from the skids and impacted the tail rotor. The pilot initiated an autorotation to a nearby field. Examination of the helicopter by the pilot revealed that about half of the tail boom and tail rotor assembly was separated. The pilot reported that prior to the flag separating, no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures existed with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N385AR
- Reported as
- Omlin Robert G Exec 162F Rotorway
- Category
- Helicopter, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 8005
- Engine
- Rotorway RI 162F, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Omlin Robert G
- Registered owner
- Omlin Robert G
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- Quincy, WA
- Destination
- Quincy, WA
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
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine sea, Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 900 total · 85 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- EPH, 14 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 13, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 52 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.