Showalter ROTORWAY 152 N11662

Summary

On 5 August 2000 at about 23:09 local time, a Showalter ROTORWAY 152 registered N11662 was involved in an accident near Ravenna, Ohio, United States. 2 people were 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.

Date

5 August 2000 at 23:09

Classification

Accident

Location

Ravenna, Ohio, United States

Coordinates

41.1505, -81.2405

Aircraft

Showalter ROTORWAY 152

Registration

N11662

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Atwater → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD00LA071

Nobody was injured.

The pilot/owner's inadequate installation of an ignition lead that resulted in a partial loss of engine power and forced landing to unsuitable terrain. A factor in the accident was the soybean crop in the forced landing site.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The homebuilt helicopter was in cruise flight at 70 knots approximately 600 feet above ground level (agl) when the pilot heard a loud report from behind the cockpit, felt the helicopter yaw, and thought the tail rotor had departed the helicopter. After he entered autorotation, he realized that he still had tail rotor authority. During the descent, the engine was running smoothly at idle, and he chose to continue the autorotation at idle power. The helicopter touched down in a field. At the end of the ground run, the skids became entangled in the soybean crop and the helicopter rolled over. The pilot reported that his post-accident examination of the helicopter revealed he had left a spark plug wire unsecured after a recent inspection, and that he was sure the loose wire caused the interruption in power and the adverse yaw during the flight. He said there were no other mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.