N103DE

Substantial
None

RANDALL AMANDA RotorwayS/N: 6821

Accident Details

Date
Sunday, November 9, 2008
NTSB Number
ERA09CA045
Location
Middletown, DE
Event ID
20081110X41633
Coordinates
39.521110, -75.720832
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The student pilot’s excessive use of cyclic during the engine run-up. Contributing to the accident were the student pilot’s lack of overall experience and the gusting wind conditions.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N103DE
Make
RANDALL AMANDA
Serial Number
6821
Engine Type
Reciprocating
Year Built
2008
Model / ICAO
RotorwayKR2
Aircraft Type
Fixed Wing Single Engine
No. of Engines
1

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
RANDALL AMANDA
Address
35432 COASTAL HWY
Status
Deregistered
City
FENWICK ISLAND
State / Zip Code
DE 19944-4030
Country
United States

Analysis

The 12-hour student pilot was flying the helicopter following repair to the chain drive oil system. The throttle was advanced to 100 percent power while the helicopter was resting on the ground. The helicopter was aligned into the wind. The pilot moved the cyclic to the far right stop during run-up. The helicopter tipped to the right, the wind "caught the aircraft," and the main rotors came in contact with the ground. The helicopter then rolled over, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot reported that the winds were from the south at 15 knots with gusts to 20 knots. The recorded wind, at an airport located approximately 10 miles northeast of the accident site, about the time of the accident, was from 280 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 19 knots.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# ERA09CA045