Schmitt (Rotorway) EXEC 162F N6463S

Summary

On 6 November 2003 at about 23:15 local time, a Schmitt (Rotorway) EXEC 162F registered N6463S was involved in an accident near Prosser, Washington, 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

6 November 2003 at 23:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Prosser, Washington, United States

Nearest airport

Prosser (S40)

Coordinates

46.2122, -119.7961

Aircraft

Schmitt (Rotorway) EXEC 162F

Registration

N6463S

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Prosser → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA04LA015

Nobody was injured.

The student pilot's abrupt application of excessive collective and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the student. Contributing factors were the ditch and low rotor RPM.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

While on an instructional flight, the flight instructor demonstrated a takeoff from a slope to the student pilot (owner) and then gave control of the rotorcraft to the student to execute a similar maneuver. The first attempt was aborted and the maneuver was re-initiated. On the second try the student rolled the rotorcraft to a level attitude but then failed to neutralize cyclic before attempting to liftoff. The student then abruptly applied collective and the rotorcraft began rolling left rapidly, lifting off and entering an immediate left rotation about five feet above ground. The instructor took control of the rotorcraft and attempted to regain directional control. He did not reduce throttle as the rotorcraft was over a ditch, which he did not want to land in. Without a throttle reduction the rotorcraft continued to rotate through four revolutions before RPM had decayed to an extent that sustained flight was no longer possible. The rotorcraft then touched down clear of the ditch while still rotating and immediately rolled onto its left side.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.