Amateur-built 162F accident near Mounds, Oklahoma, March 13, 2025
On March 13, 2025 at about 10:45 pm local time, a 2004 amateur-built 162F (helicopter), registered N124CW, was destroyed in an accident during landing near Mounds, Oklahoma. 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 student pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter during a precautionary landing, which resulted in a dynamic roll over and postimpact fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 2025 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Mounds, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 162F, built 2004
- Registration
- N124CW · registry record · serial 6855
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot stated that while flying the experimental helicopter, the tail rotor kept pulling to the left. He attempted to land the helicopter to troubleshoot the issue when the skid got stuck in mud, and the helicopter rolled over. The engine’s hot exhaust caught the grass on fire, which then ignited the helicopter. The pilot and passenger egressed without issue, but the fire continued and destroyed the helicopter. The helicopter’s maintenance logbooks were onboard and were consumed by the fire. Due to the condition of the helicopter after being destroyed by fire, and the pilot not making the wreckage available, a postaccident examination was not possible. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1.
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
- Dynamic rollover during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Last flight review: February 13, 2025
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway R1-162F (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.61 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KRVS, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KRVS 132253Z 18009KT 10SM CLR 28/02 A2961 RMK AO2 SLP033 T02780017
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 5, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memorandum for Record A�� Accident Summary | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� No 6120 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.