N/A Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Richwood, Ohio 43344
Thursday, April 24, 2014 12:48 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor heard a noise during cruise flight 800 feet above ground level and saw a caution light illuminate on the instrument panel during an instructional flight. He did not recall if there was a loss of engine power. He performed a precautionary autorotation, the helicopter landed hard, and a postcrash fire destroyed the helicopter. The flight instructor had not previously performed an autorotation in the helicopter make and model. The postcrash fire precluded functional testing of any of the helicopter’s systems; however, examination of the helicopter did not reveal evidence of any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The flight instructor’s inadequate autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing and postcrash fire. Contributing was the flight instructor’s lack of experience in performing an autorotation in the accident make and model of helicopter.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/24/2014
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1248
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Richwood
Event State OHIO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 43344
Event Date Year 2014
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 403640N
Event Location Longitude 0832450E
Event Location Airport N/A
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1237 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 133
Weather Observation Facility ID DLZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 945
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
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) 12
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.09
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 33207
NTSB Notification Source CEN Duty Officer
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 22 2014 1:17PM
User who most recently changed record galm
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N43691
NTSB Number CEN14LA228
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BRECHER ROTORWAY
Aircraft Model EXEC
Aircraft Series Identifier 162F
Aircraft Serial Number 6615
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 Aug 18 2013 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 56
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Pilot
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Columbus
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 43202-2576
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Pilot
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Columbus
Operator State OH
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 43202-2576
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code DLZ
Departure City Delaware
Departure State OH
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Mt Victory
Destination State OH
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 22 2014 12:57PM
User who most recently changed record galm
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --