Amateur-built 162 accident near Passaic, Missouri, October 27, 2018
On October 27, 2018 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 2015 amateur-built 162 (helicopter), registered N162RF, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Passaic, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The electrical short in the main rotor rpm indicating unit which provided an inaccurate indication to the student pilot and resulted in substantial damage during the precautionary autorotation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 2018 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Passaic, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 162 F, built 2015
- Registration
- N162RF · registry record · serial 6965
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that, about 10 minutes into the flight, he observed the main rotor rpm indicating unit drop to zero. The student confirmed that the engine rpm indications were "still normal" and then decided to execute an autorotation to an open field and lowered the collective. He stated that the helicopter was in a "steady glide" when he realized that it might impact a fence at his intended landing area in the field. The student applied aft cyclic to avoid the fence, which changed the helicopter’s glidepath; he then flared the helicopter and applied collective for the landing. During the landing, the right skid’s rear portion impacted terrain. The helicopter bounced, the student lost helicopter control, and the helicopter came to rest on its right side resulting in substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed an electrical short had occurred in the main rotor rpm indicating unit. Given the student reported that the engine rpm indications were “still normal," it is likely the helicopter was still functioning normally despite the loss of cockpit main rotor rpm indications.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Flight instrument malf/fail during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Autorotation Attempted remediation/recovery
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Indicating/recording systems › Instrument panel › Malfunction
Dual student
- Certificate: private, student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 150 hours in all; 43.2 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway RI 162F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BUM Butler MO at 10:50 pm
- Destination: BUM Butler MO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KLRY, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN19LA016.