Rotorway EXEC 162F N6828D

Summary

On 21 June 2014 at about 14:30 local time, a Rotorway EXEC 162F registered N6828D, operated by Tim G Payne, was involved in an accident near Mt. Comfort, Indiana, 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

21 June 2014 at 14:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Mt. Comfort, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Indianapolis Rgnl (MQJ)

Coordinates

39.8589, -85.9092

Aircraft

Rotorway EXEC 162F

Registration

N6828D

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2000

Engines

1

Operator

Tim G Payne

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mt. Comfort → Goshen

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14LA307

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s installation of an unauthorized main rotor belt and his subsequent failure to properly inspect the belt, which resulted in inadequate belt tension, the belt’s failure, and the subsequent loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, while the experimental, amateur-built helicopter was climbing through 300 feet, he heard a loud "bang" come from the rear compartment and that the helicopter subsequently yawed right. He made an emergency autorotation landing to a field. During the landing, the helicopter's skids sunk into the mud, and the main rotor blades contacted the ground. The helicopter then came to rest on its side. A postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed that the main rotor belt was not approved for aircraft use and that it was broken straight across in a crimp-type failure. According to the belt manufacturer, belt crimping damage is "commonly associated with belt mishandling, inadequate belt installation tension, sub-minimal sprocket diameters, and/or entry of foreign objects within the belt drive." No foreign object preimpact damage was found. Further, although the belt was an unapproved part, it should have been inspected during each 25-hour standard inspection and the belt tension was to be tested during each annual inspection. At the time of the accident, the belt had accumulated 215.9 total hours. Based on this evidence, the pilot installed an unauthorized main rotor drive belt and then failed to properly inspect the belt, which resulted in inadequate belt tension, the belt's failure, and the subsequent loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.