Amateur-built EXEC 162F accident near Tuscumbia, Alabama, December 16, 2023
On December 16, 2023 at about 4:37 pm local time, a 2000 amateur-built EXEC 162F (helicopter), registered N60932, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Tuscumbia, Alabama. 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 conditions the NTSB did not record.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter, which resulted in the right skid contacting the ground and a subsequent rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 2023 · about 4:37 pm local time
- Place
- Tuscumbia, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EXEC 162F, built 2000
- Registration
- N60932 · registry record · serial 6429
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was practicing hovering without the supervision of a flight instructor. The pilot reported that the winds were gusty and he estimated the surface winds to be about 10 to 15 mph. The pilot stated he started to drift and attempted to make a turn; during the turn, the pilot realized he was too close to some objects, and he began to panic. The pilot lowered the collective and the back right skid contacted the ground, after which he pulled up on the collective and lost control of the helicopter. Subsequently, the helicopter rolled over into a ditch; the pilot evacuated and a post-accident fire ensued, resulting in substantial damage to the helicopter. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (hover)
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (hover) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 38 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 150.9 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 3, 2023; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway RI 162F (piston); 160 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from MSL, 6 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KMSL 161653Z AUTO 14009KT 10SM OVC080 14/05 A3020 RMK AO2 SLP227 T01390050=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 21, 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 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 4 pages | 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.