Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Kalamazoo, Michigan 49009
Saturday, July 22, 2000 15:35 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported he was flying his experimental helicopter about 700 feet above ground level in cruise flight when the top motor mount made of cast aluminum broke. He reported that the belt tension to the main rotor was lost and he was unable to maintain rotor rpm. He executed an autorotation to a small back yard surrounded by trees. The helicopter landed hard and the main rotor blades flexed down and chopped off the tailboom.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the loss of main rotor rpm due to the failure of the top engine mount and the subsequent loss of the main rotor drive belt tension. A factor was the confined area landing zone.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/22/2000
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1535
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City KALAMAZOO
Event State MICHIGAN
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 49009
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 7
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1353 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
Weather Observation Facility ID AZO
Elevation of weather observation facility 874
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3900
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 68
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 53
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10535
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 22 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1702
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Sep 26 2001 10:21AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1183M
NTSB Number CHI00LA215
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 Lutke
Aircraft Model ROTOWAY EXEC 90
Aircraft Series Identifier ROTOWAY EX
Aircraft Serial Number J123151
Certified Max Gross Weight 1425
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 175
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL T LUTKE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2651 SOUTH 4TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City KALAMAZOO
Aircraft Owner State MI
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 49009
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 4NO
Departure City
Departure State MI
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 1 2001 4:00AM
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 --