Delbridge ROTORWAY EXEC 162F N113RD

Summary

On 4 August 2001 at about 19:25 local time, a Delbridge ROTORWAY EXEC 162F registered N113RD was involved in an accident near Carrollton, Virginia, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 August 2001 at 19:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Carrollton, Virginia, United States

Coordinates

36.9195, -76.4601

Aircraft

Delbridge ROTORWAY EXEC 162F

Registration

N113RD

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Suffolk → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD01LA091

2 people were seriously injured.

pilot's inadequate fuel consumption calculations, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Prior to departing, the pilot serviced the helicopter with fuel for a total of 17 gallons and performed a preflight inspection. He then started the helicopter, checked the systems, and proceeded on several flights with different passengers. After the sixth take-off, the pilot flew to his home, hovered for a few minutes, then proceeded to fly along the bank of the James River. As he approached 300-foot tall power lines, the pilot said the helicopter yawed to the left, which he felt was an indication of an engine failure. The pilot autorotated to the ground and collided with trees. A representative of RotorWay International downloaded and evaluated data from the engine control units under the supervision of a Safety Board investigator. Examination of the data revealed that the engine had been operating for a total of 1-hour and 54-minutes. The data also revealed that there were no errors or faults listed for the flight, and the monitored engine parameters appeared to be normal. According to the pilot, the helicopter would consume about 7.5 gallons per hour. Examination of the helicopter and engine revealed that there were no mechanical deficiencies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.