Amateur-built ROTORWAY EXEC 162-F accident near Titusville, Florida, November 27, 2022
On November 27, 2022 at about 11:30 am local time, a amateur-built ROTORWAY EXEC 162-F (helicopter), registered N8006A, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Titusville, Florida (Space Coast Regional airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A failure of the No. 4 exhaust valve spring retainer, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 27, 2022 · about 11:30 am local time
- Place
- Titusville, Florida · Space Coast Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ROTORWAY EXEC 162-F
- Registration
- N8006A · registry record · serial 6708
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor, who was also the owner of the experimental amateur-built helicopter, said that shortly after takeoff, while about 150 ft above ground level, the helicopter’s engine lost partial power with “severe backfiring.” He declared an emergency, turned back to the airport, and landed on a grassy area. Upon touchdown, the helicopter’s front left skid dug into the grass and the helicopter rolled over. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed the No. 4 exhaust valve spring retainer was missing. The engine maintenance manual required inspection of the valve train system, including the spring retainer, every 25 hours. A review of the engine maintenance logbook revealed that the flight instructor/owner had performed the 25-hour inspection about 8.8 hours before the accident. The reason for the separation of the valve spring retainer was not determined.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Loss of engine power (partial) during maneuvering (hover)
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during maneuvering (hover) defining event
- Dynamic rollover during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng cyl section › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,450 hours in all; 404 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 3,265 as pilot in command; 340 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 5, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,200 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 763 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 11, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,630 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway A600T (piston); 138 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 am from TIX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on January 31, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Written Statement - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | NTSB Summary of FAA Inspector Report | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Excerpts of Maintenance Records | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Page from Rotorway Maintenance Manual | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.