Amateur-built Rotorway Exec accident near Mooresville, Indiana, June 17, 2006
On June 17, 2006 at about 4:20 pm local time, a amateur-built Rotorway Exec (helicopter), registered N9164X, was destroyed in an accident near Mooresville, Indiana (Private airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight fire for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2006 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Mooresville, Indiana · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Rotorway Exec
- Registration
- N9164X · no longer on the register · serial 8601439
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The amateur-built helicopter was destroyed by a fire that began in-flight and continued on the ground after landing. The flight instructor and dual student were not injured. The instructor and dual student reported that the instructional flight consisted of practicing hovering. They stated that approximately 20 minutes into the flight they thought they smelled smoke and decided to make a precautionary landing. The pilots reported that once they landed, smoke was coming out of the engine compartment and the engine had stopped. Both pilots exited the helicopter safely. Subsequent efforts to extinguish the fire were unsuccessful. A post accident examination was unable to determine the source of the fire due to the extensive damage to the helicopter.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: gyroplane; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,100 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,100 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 340 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 1,425 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway RI-162 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Mooresville IN at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from IND, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.