Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania 17055
Sunday, March 14, 1999 10:38 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

This was the pilot's first solo flight in a helicopter. He brought the helicopter to about a 6 inch hover and then drifted left and settled. The left rear skid contacted the ground and the helicopter rolled over on its left side. The pilot held a private pilot certificate for single engine airplanes but had not flown in several years. He had received 9.9 hours of dual instruction in the same model of helicopter, and was signed off for solo flight, but had not flown in the 44 days that preceded the accident flight.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadvertent induced dynamic rollover. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of helicopter experience.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/14/1999
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1038
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MECHANICSBURG
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17055
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 500
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1050 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID CXY
Elevation of weather observation facility 347
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 350
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 14 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1115
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:27AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N124CF
NTSB Number NYC99LA072
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Miner
Aircraft Model ROTORWAY EXEC 162F
Aircraft Series Identifier ROTORWAY E
Aircraft Serial Number 6165
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 18 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 13
Airframe Hours 13
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TWO WAY TRAFFICE, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 105 TEXACO WAY
Aircraft Owner City MECHANICSBURG
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 17055
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM A. NEWHART
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 51 GREEN RIDEGE ROAD
Operator City MECHANICSBURG
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 17055
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1038
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Hover
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --