Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Mid-Way Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Waxahachie, Texas 75150
Saturday, June 27, 2009 11:45 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The private pilot was conducting a practice 180-degree power recovery autorotation in a helicopter with a clockwise rotating main rotor with a right crosswind of three knots. The pilot said he had a higher than expected rate of descent as he was flaring at zero airspeed and attempting a power recovery to terminate at a skid height of approximately 15 feet above ground level. Suddenly, and without warning the pilot lost directional control, the helicopter began to spin nose left, and his application of full right pedal had no effect. The pilot said he tried to keep the helicopter level while it was spinning, but it eventually impacted on the left side of the taxiway. The helicopter was substantially damaged when the left skid gear partially collapsed and the airframe and tail boom buckled. During the impact sequence the main rotor blades struck the tail boom and the main rotor blades and tail rotor blades struck the ground. An on-scene investigation by an FAA maintenance inspector confirmed flight control continuity and confirmed no apparent damage to the tail rotor drive belts. There was no post-crash fire and the pilot received minor injuries.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to control his rate of descent during autorotation, which required an aggressive recovery maneuver and resulted in a sudden loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/27/2009 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1145 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Waxahachie |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 75150 |
| Event Date Year | 2009 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 322713N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0965427W |
| Event Location Airport | Mid-Way Regional Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KJWY |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 713 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1144 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 170 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KJWY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 713 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 35 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 250 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 3 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.88 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KJWY 271644Z AUTO 25003KT 10SM CLR 35/19 A2988 KL |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 25901 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA ASW Regional Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 15 2009 1:20PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1934 |
| NTSB Number | CEN09CA394 |
| 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 | SIDLER MIKE |
| Aircraft Model | ROTORWAY |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | 162 F |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 6294 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1500 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jan 17 2009 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 20 |
| Airframe Hours | 197 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | SIDLER MIKE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 608 Oak Ridge Court |
| Aircraft Owner City | Ovilla |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 75154-5608 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | SIDLER MIKE |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 608 Oak Ridge Court |
| Operator City | Ovilla |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 75154-5608 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | KJWY |
| Departure City | Waxahachie |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1140 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KJWY |
| Destination City | Waxahachie |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 20 2009 11:57AM |
| User who most recently changed record | latt |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 18 |
| Runway Length | 4999 |
| Runway Width | 40 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |