Rotorway EXECUTIVE 162F N6399L

Summary

On 16 July 2000 at about 18:50 local time, a Rotorway EXECUTIVE 162F registered N6399L was involved in an accident near Tooele, Utah, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 July 2000 at 18:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Tooele, Utah, United States

Nearest airport

Bolinder-Tooele Valley (TVY)

Coordinates

40.5692, -112.3307

Aircraft

Rotorway EXECUTIVE 162F

Registration

N6399L

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN00LA131

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's inadequate weather evaluation, which resulted in a downwind landing, and his failure to maintain aircraft control. A factor was the tailwind.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The winds had been 'light, but had changed direction and were starting to gust' when the pilot landed for fuel. He decided he had time to practice some additional maneuvers, so he took off to the south. He heard another pilot announce he was departing on runway 16 so when he decided to land, he entered the traffic pattern for runway 16. He said he was about 10 feet off the ground and at a speed of 10 knots when the helicopter 'just drop[ped] out of transitional lift. . .All of a sudden, [the] tail came up [and the] nose went down. [I] pulled back and up on [the] collective [control], but could not recover.' The pilot reported that the wind had shifted from the south to the north, and told an FAA inspector that it 'push[ed] me down and flip[ped] me over.' The helicopter began to spun, struck the ground, and rolled over.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.