Amateur-built Rotorway 162F accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 16, 2001
On May 16, 2001 at about 4:10 pm local time, a amateur-built Rotorway 162F (helicopter), registered N311RM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota. 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 tail rotor drive belt coming off in cruise flight and it not being possible for the student pilot to maintain aircraft control during the emergency landing attempt. Factors relating to the accident were the loose bearing in the secondary drive unit to the tail rotor, the attempted autorotation and run on landing by the student pilot, and the low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 2001 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Minneapolis, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Rotorway 162F
- Registration
- N311RM · no longer on the register · serial 6271
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot said that he was returning to Rogers, Minnesota, when he heard a "pop" and then the helicopter yawed left. The student pilot said that he lost pedal control and entered a turning autorotation. He said that at approximately 35 feet above the ground, he introduced some aft cyclic in an attempt to perform a run on landing. He said that the helicopter "spun violently to [the] right". The student pilot said he added full left [control pedal] and down cyclic. The helicopter dropped to the ground. An examination of the helicopter's belt drive system revealed that the lower shaft bearing in the secondary drive unit to the tail rotor was loose and the tail rotor drive belt had come off.
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: student
- Flight time: 650 hours in all; 590 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 77 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 6, 2001; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,520 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway 162 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Rogers MN at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from MIC, 6 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N311RM the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.