Amateur-built EXEC 90 accident near Lexington, Nebraska, June 4, 1998
On June 4, 1998, a amateur-built EXEC 90 (helicopter), registered N132RS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lexington, Nebraska (Jim Kelly Field). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An improper autorotation by the pilot in command. Factors contributing to this accident were the accumulation of ice in the carburetor resulting in a total loss of engine power, and the soft terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 4, 1998
- Place
- Lexington, Nebraska · Jim Kelly Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EXEC 90
- Registration
- N132RS · registry record · serial 5221
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot/builder, the homebuilt helicopter was in cruise at 1000 feet agl when he initiated a 200-300 foot per minute descent. After approximately one minute, at an altitude of approximately 500-700 feet agl, the engine lost power. He executed an autorotation and forced landing into a corn field. The pilot stated that the helicopter had some forward velocity on landing, causing one of the skids to sink and get caught in the soft terrain. The helicopter subsequently nosed over and was substantially damaged. The temperature and dewpoint on the surface was reported to be 42 degrees F and 38 degrees F respectively. According to carburetor icing charts, the accident flight was operating in conditions favorable to carburetor icing. Post accident investigation revealed that the carburetor heat system was operating. The pilot stated that during the descent phase of flight, the engine temperatures were indicating in the low end of the green arc, but he did not notice the carburetor temperature gauge indication. The Vice President of RotorWay, International agreed to issue an Advisory Bulletin to all registered owners of RotorWay helicopters having the RI-162 engine, informing them of the background of this accident, as well as alternate way of carburetor icing prevention and avoidance.
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: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 3,500 as pilot in command; 374 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 40 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,425 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway RI-162 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Loomis NE at 11:45 pm
- Destination: LXN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,400 ft; ovct at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KLX, 1 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI98LA190.