Amateur-built Rotorway 162F accident near Rutland, South Dakota, October 10, 2008
On October 10, 2008 at about 11:50 pm local time, a amateur-built Rotorway 162F (helicopter), registered N162NJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Rutland, South Dakota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of torque due to a failure of a transmission drivebelt and the pilot's delayed landing flare during the autorotation. Contributing to the accident was the dusk light condition and the corn crop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 2008 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Rutland, South Dakota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Rotorway 162F
- Registration
- N162NJ · no longer on the register · serial 6064
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter pilot reported that during the local area flight he heard "loud noises" behind the cockpit that were followed by a loss of torque to the rotor system. He immediately initiated an autorotation into a cornfield. The tailboom stinger contacted the ground during the landing flare, which pushed the tailboom up into the path of the main rotor system. The helicopter then landed hard and rolled over onto its right side. The pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented if he had initiated his flare about two feet higher, but at the time he was unsure of his altitude above the ground due to the corn crop and the dusk light condition. A postaccident inspection of the helicopter revealed that one of the transmission drive belts had failed and another belt had separated from its pulley assembly.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Autorotation Off-field or emergency landing
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Roll over during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Main rotor drive › (general) › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Low light › Contributed to outcome
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: powered-lift; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 588 hours in all; 67 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 524 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 21, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 261 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 17, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway 162F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Wentworth SD at 11:40 pm
- Destination: PVT Wentworth SD
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 030° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from KBKX, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.