Plane Crash List

Frederick Sweet ROTORWAY EXEC N31788

8 April 1999 · Fort Myers, Florida, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 8 April 1999 at about 19:15 local time, a Frederick Sweet ROTORWAY EXEC registered N31788 was involved in an accident near Fort Myers, Florida, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 19:15
Classification
Accident
Location
Fort Myers, Florida, United States
Coordinates
26.6706, -81.7598
Aircraft
Frederick Sweet ROTORWAY EXEC
Registration
N31788
Category
Helicopter
Engines
1
Operator
Not recorded
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
MIA99LA121

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain aircraft control after the ground tie chain separated during engine run and hovering operations.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated he was running the aircraft's engine and hovering the helicopter while it was tied to the ground by a chain. The chain broke and he lost control of the helicopter. The helicopter rolled to the side and the main rotor collided with a tree.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
24 Mar 1999 Fairchild Hiller FH-1100
N4412C
Zephyrhills, Florida, United States - No injuries -
23 Oct 1999 Piper PA-28-161
N616FT
Lake Wales, Florida, United States - No injuries -
10 Jun 1999 Cessna 182P
N1578M
Lantana, Florida, United States Valerie E. Eikenberg Minor injuries -
25 Oct 1999 Robinson R-22-MARINER
N2285Z
West Boca Raton, Florida, United States Volar Helicopters, Inc. Minor injuries -
16 Oct 1999 Beechcraft D35
N2109D
Indiantown, Florida, United States Christopher M. Conlisk Unknown -
19 Dec 1999 Piper PA-24-400
N8469P
Naples, Florida, United States - Minor injuries -

All 170,864 records in United States