Taylor ROTORWAY EXECUTIVE accident near Keysville, Virginia, November 12, 1990
On November 12, 1990 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Taylor ROTORWAY EXECUTIVE (helicopter), an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N514RT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Keysville, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A JAMMED ENGINE THROTTLE CABLE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT ARE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE INSPECTION AND LOW ROTOR RPM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 12, 1990 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Keysville, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Taylor ROTORWAY EXECUTIVE ROTORWAY E, amateur-built
- Registration
- N514RT · registry record · serial 3123
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED HE WAS EN ROUTE AT ABOUT 1000 AGL WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO OVERSPEED. HE STATED THE THROTTLE WAS INEFFECTIVE. HE SHUTDOWN THE ENGINE AND MADE AN AUTOROTATION LANDING IN AN FIELD. DURING THE APPROACH HE USED COLLECTIVE TO CLEAR TREES, AND CONSEQUENTLY THE ROTOR RPM REDUCED TO 400 RPM. HE LANDED HARD, COLLASPING THE LEFT LANDING SKID AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER TO THE LEFT. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLE, WHICH IS ROUTED FORWARD OF THE ENGINE STARTER RING GEAR, BECAME LODGED IN THE GEAR.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 680 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 572 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 110 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 10, 1990; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway RW-152 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W78 South Boston VA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: W83 Ashland VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.