Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Eden Prairie, Minnesota 55347
Saturday, October 9, 2004 8:22 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The experimental amateur-built helicopter sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain during an autorotation following an in-flight loss of engine power while on its base leg. The pilot stated in his accident report, "I was given clearance for the option and on the base leg I reached for, and pulled, the carburetor heat lever. After releasing the lever, I inadvertently bumped and threw the main battery switch. I felt the switch move. (These switches are located on the top of the center console, and they are hidden from view by the pilot's right leg due to cramped quarters). I then tried to find and reengage the switch and I threw the avionics switch. I immediately re-engaged the avionics switch. While searching for the battery switch, the engine stopped. ... Due to forward groundspeed, the helicopter slid forward and tipped forward. The rotor blades struck the ground in the front of the ship, which created torque forces, which tipped the machine onto its left side. " The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions in reference to the helicopter on the flight. The pilot's safety recommendation was that the "battery switch should be relocated or [guarded]."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's inadvertent deactivation of the battery switch leading to the helicopter's loss of engine power on base leg. A factor was the crops he encountered during the emergency landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/9/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 822
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Eden Prairie
Event State MINNESOTA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 55347
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 444938N
Event Location Longitude 0932726W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
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 853 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 100
Weather Observation Facility ID FCM
Elevation of weather observation facility 906
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.2
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report Flying Cloud Airport Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 16690
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Oct 9 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1026
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Dec 3 2004 9:35AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Minneapolis, MN, FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N82DR
NTSB Number CHI05CA005
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Buss
Aircraft Model Rotorway Exec
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1
Certified Max Gross Weight 1320
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 328
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Richard S. Buss
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5837 Creek Valley Road
Aircraft Owner City Edina
Aircraft Owner State MN
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 55439
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FCM
Departure City Eden Prairie
Departure State MN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 822
Departure Time Zone --
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 Approach - VFR pattern - base leg/base to final
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 14 2004 10:10AM
User who most recently changed record SULP
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --