Amateur-built MINI 500 accident near Missouri City, Missouri, June 25, 1992
On June 25, 1992 at about 12:00 pm local time, a amateur-built MINI 500 (helicopter), registered N500ZZ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Missouri City, Missouri (Liberty Landing 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
AN IMPROPER CONNECTING ROD ASSEMBLY RESULTING IN MECHANICAL BINDING BETWEEN THE ROD AND THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 1992 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Missouri City, Missouri · Liberty Landing · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MINI 500
- Registration
- N500ZZ · no longer on the register · serial 0000
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER WAS PERFORMING TEST FLIGHTS USING VARIOUS FLIGHT ATTITUDES TO CHANGE AIRFLOW PATTERNS THROUGH THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT STATED HE WAS TOO FAST AND TOO LOW TO COMPLETE A SMOOTH LANDING. DURING TOUCHDOWN THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE BORE DIAMETER ON THE CONNECTING ROD WAS INCORRECT WHERE IT ATTACHES TO THE CRANKSHAFT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,520 hours in all; 4 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 812 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N500ZZ 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.