Amateur-built SAFARI 400 accident near Gallatin, Tennessee, January 12, 2022
On January 12, 2022 at about 6:40 pm local time, a 2018 amateur-built SAFARI 400 (helicopter), registered N32CM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gallatin, Tennessee (Music City Exec airport). It was a flight test 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
A reported stuck throttle for reasons that could not be determined during postaccident examinations and subsequent loss of control during hover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 2022 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Gallatin, Tennessee · Music City Exec · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SAFARI 400, built 2018
- Registration
- N32CM · registry record · serial CM001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was performing the first flight after a condition inspection. He put the helicopter into a hover, noted the “throttle locked up and [the helicopter] got away” from him. The helicopter rolled onto its side and impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage and tailboom. Furthermore, he reported an overspeed and “hard vibration” prior to the rollover. A post-accident examination of the helicopter revealed no evidence of any pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. In addition, the throttle governor was bench tested with no anomalies noted.
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
- 250270 during loss of control - in flight
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › Power lever › Malfunction
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, helicopter
- Medical certificate: class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 85 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming YO-360-EXP63 (piston); 73 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°C, dew point 23°C
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 12:35 pm from XNX
Weather report (METAR): KXNX 121735Z AUTO 21008G17KT 10SM CLR 10/M05 A3026 RMK A01
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 ERA22LA106.