Amateur-built 162F incident near Creve Coeur, Missouri, July 11, 2003
On July 11, 2003 at about 6:45 pm local time, a amateur-built 162F (helicopter), registered N444T, suffered minor damage in an incident near Creve Coeur, Missouri (Creve Coeur Airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 inadvertent dynamic rollover of the helicopter after the helicopter became airborne during an engine run-up.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2003 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Creve Coeur, Missouri · Creve Coeur Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 162F
- Registration
- N444T · registry record · serial 6138
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter rolled over onto its left side during an engine run-up. The student pilot reported the helicopter became airborne during the run-up. He attempted to recover from the inadvertent lift-off by lowering the collective to the full down position, but the helicopter was already rolling to the left. The student pilot remarked, "It is this pilot's opinion that the aircraft experienced a dynamic roll over condition." He reported he did not intend to become airborne.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 84 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 13 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 129 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 26, 2003; 0 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway 162F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IH0 Creve Coeur MO at 6:45 pm
- Destination: 1H0 Creve Coeur MO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 11:52 pm from STL, 7 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.
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.