Amateur-built Exec 162-F accident near New Century, Kansas, November 13, 2007
On November 13, 2007 at about 4:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Exec 162-F (helicopter), registered N46110, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Century, Kansas (New Century Aircenter airport). 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
While on approach the tail rotor spar failed due to metal fatigue .
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 13, 2007 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- New Century, Kansas · New Century Aircenter · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Exec 162-F
- Registration
- N46110 · registry record · serial 6850
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was doing hovering maneuvers at the end of the runway. He was cleared for a left pattern to return to the end of the runway. On final approach he felt a "moderate vibration" in the tail rotor, and elected to autorotate to a farm field adjacent to airport property rather than try to clear surrounding trees and fences. The helicopter landed hard, flexing the landing gear. The pilot later reported a spar in one of the tail rotor blades had failed due to metal fatigue.
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 200 hours in all; 200 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 127 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, November 1, 2007; 127 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,035 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IXD New Century KS at 4:00 pm
- Destination: IXD New Century KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,130 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from IXD
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.