Accident RotorWay Exec N618VN,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 363817
 
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Date:Sunday 9 February 1992
Time:17:55 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic EXEC model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
RotorWay Exec
Owner/operator:Ronald W.case
Registration: N618VN
MSN: 3480
Total airframe hrs:255 hours
Engine model:ROTORWAY RW152
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Lakeland, FL -   United States of America
Phase: Approach
Nature:Private
Departure airport:
Destination airport:
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS ON FINAL APPROACH FOR LANDING IN VFR CONDITIONS WHEN THE ENGINE SUSTAINED A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT ENTERED AUTOROTATION. AT 30-40 FEET AGL A DECELERATION WAS INITIATED AND COLLECTIVE PITCH WAS APPLIED AT 3-7 FEET AGL. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD WITH FORWARD MOVEMENT AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES COLLIDED WITH THE TAILBOOM. THE HELICOPTER SKIDDED FORWARD AND THE TIP OF THE LEFT SKID BECAME IMBEDDED IN A MOUND OF DIRT. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON ITS LEFT SIDE SUSTAINING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME BY THE FAA AND THE LOCAL POLICE DEPARTMENT REVEALED THE LEFT SKID SEPARATED FROM THE FUSELAGE AT THE WELD JOINT ON THE SKID SUPPORT STRUT. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE BY A FIELD REPRESENTATIVE FOR ROTORWAY INTERNATIONAL FOR THE REGISTERED OWNER REVEALED AN EXHAUST VALVE ON THE NUMBER 2 CYLINDER HAD FAILED.

Probable Cause: THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER APPLICATION OF CYCLIC AND COLLECTIVE PITCH CONTROL DURING AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING. THIS RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING, COLLISION OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES WITH THE TAILBOOM, AND SUBSEQUENT ROLL OVER OF THE HELICOPTER. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER CAUSED BY A TOTAL FAILURE OF THE ENGINE ASSEMBY EXHAUST VALVE.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: MIA92LA082
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 6 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB MIA92LA082

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
19-Mar-2024 06:29 ASN Update Bot Added

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