Amateur-built 162F accident near Stratford, Oklahoma, July 20, 2007
On July 20, 2007 at about 4:00 pm local time, a amateur-built 162F (helicopter), registered N888TD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stratford, Oklahoma (None 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
The loss of engine power due to a seized supercharger. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2007 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Stratford, Oklahoma · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 162F
- Registration
- N888TD · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 5,770-hour commercial pilot/owner/builder of the single-engine experimental helicopter was in cruise flight at an altitude of approximately 1,000 feet, at an estimated airspeed between 70 and 100 knots, when "the helicopter suddenly yawed to the right." The pilot immediately and simultaneously applied left torque pedal to stop the yaw, lowered the collective, and entered an autorotation into the wind, at an airspeed of 70 knots. The helicopter touched down in an "uneven" field, rolled over, and came to rest on its left side. The pilot added that there were no warnings prior to or during the loss of power. A review of photographs of the damaged helicopter revealed structural damage to the airframe. The pilot reported that he had a total of 10 gallons of fuel on board at the time he departed and there was a small fuel spill at the accident site. At the time of the accident, the helicopter had accrued a total of 60.6 hours. Examination of the engine by the pilot revealed that the supercharger had seized which accounted for the loss of engine power.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,770 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 5,015 as pilot in command; 450 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 60.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 1,210 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway RI 162F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Stratford OK at 3:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 9:10 pm from ADH, 16 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.