Amateur-built DM-1 accident near Salters, South Carolina, December 25, 2008
On December 25, 2008 at about 7:50 pm local time, a amateur-built DM-1 (helicopter), registered N75EW, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Salters, South Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A hard landing following an autorotation that resulted from the separation of the red main rotor blade cap that led to the uncontrolled movement of the cyclic, autorotation and a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 25, 2008 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Salters, South Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DM-1
- Registration
- N75EW · registry record · serial 1957
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while maneuvering at 800 feet above ground level, the homebuilt helicopter pitched up and slowed to 40 knots. He entered autorotation and the helicopter impacted the ground. Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed the end cap of the main rotor blade was missing. The inspector attributed the separation to excessive blade bowing due to taking off above maximum gross weight, resulting in a shift in the rotor blades center of gravity. The inspector also stated that the change of the blade's center of gravity created or aggravated the main rotor blades' twisting and balance reactance to such a level that the end cap of the red blade detached from the blade. This blade cap departure created an imbalance of the rotor blade that led to an out of balance and track condition of the main rotor resulting in a pitch up of the aircraft and loss of longitudinal control. Review of the helicopter logbook revealed the condition inspection was 8 months past the required 12-month inspection interval.
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
What happened, in order
- Flight control sys malf/fail during maneuvering defining event
- Autorotation Off-field or emergency landing
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Main rotor system › (general) › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Maximum weight › Capability exceeded
- Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › Scheduled maint checks › Not inspected
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CKI Kingstree SC at 7:00 pm
- Destination: NONE Salters SC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Observation at 7:55 pm from CKI, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 ERA09LA107.