Amateur-built Exec 162F accident near North East, Pennsylvania, October 17, 2024
On October 17, 2024 at about 2:43 pm local time, a 2007 amateur-built Exec 162F (helicopter), registered N162AP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near North East, Pennsylvania (Moorhead Airpark 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter during landing following an encounter with an unanticipated wind gust, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2024 · about 2:43 pm local time
- Place
- North East, Pennsylvania · Moorhead Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Exec 162F, built 2007
- Registration
- N162AP · registry record · serial 6616
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, who did not hold a rotorcraft helicopter rating, was performing a spot landing in the helicopter in relatively calm wind conditions. He stated that upon touchdown on the right skid, an unanticipated wind gust from the left pushed the helicopter forward and to the right, after which the helicopter dynamically rolled over to the right. The helicopter’s tailboom and main rotor blades were substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Dynamic rollover during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,800 hours in all; 80 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 17, 2023
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 180 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 23, 2023; 140 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway RI 162F (piston); 182 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 2,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.36 inHg
- Observation at 10:11 am from KERI, 14 miles away
Weather report (METAR): SPECI KERI 171411Z 35005KT 10SM BKN023 11/05 A3036 RMK AO2 T01110050
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 ERA25LA034.