N6032C

Substantial
None

Dowell Vaughn Exec 90S/N: VXH01

Accident Details

Date
Saturday, May 17, 2008
NTSB Number
DFW08CA147
Location
Lafayette, CO
Event ID
20080619X00882
Coordinates
40.017223, -105.079719
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's improper in-flight decision to continue flight after experiencing a loss of rotor RPM. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's low level of experience in helicopters and the leaking oil from the engine oil filler cap.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N6032C
Make
DOWELL VAUGHN
Serial Number
VXH01
Model / ICAO
Exec 90

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
DOWELL VAUGHN E
Address
PO BOX 993
Status
Deregistered
City
ERIE
State / Zip Code
CO 80516-0993
Country
United States

Analysis

The private pilot stated during a telephonic interview that he was hovering in an open field adjacent to the airport, when he began to loose rotor RPM. He landed briefly to investigate why the helicopter was not flying properly. The pilot then decided to hover taxi back to his hangar and was trying to keep the nose of the helicopter pointed into the wind. While hovering with a slight right crab over a freshly plowed field the helicopter settled, the right skid contacted the soft terrain, and rolled onto the right side. The pilot stated that the loss of rotor RPM was the result of the loose engine oil cap that sprayed engine oil on the main rotor system drive belts. The helicopter main rotor blades, tail rotor blades, fuselage, and tail boom were substantially damaged. There was no post-crash fire and the pilot reported no injuries. Weather was reported at the time as winds from 020 degrees at 7 knots, visibility 30 miles with few clouds at 7,000 feet and a temperature of 72 degrees.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# DFW08CA147