Amateur-built ROTORWAY EXEC accident near Iowa, Louisiana, June 14, 1992
On June 14, 1992 at about 8:00 pm local time, a amateur-built ROTORWAY EXEC (helicopter), registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Iowa, Louisiana. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE NON HELICOPTER RATED PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING AN ATTEMPTED PRECAUTIONARY LANDING. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOTS TOTAL LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN HELICOPTERS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 1992 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Iowa, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ROTORWAY EXEC ROTORWAY E
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE BUILDER/PILOT OF THE HOME BUILT HELICOPTER ELECTED TO TEST FLY THE MACHINE AROUND THE LOCAL AREA. AFTER DEPARTURE, HE CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET. HE STATED THE CYCLIC STARTED TO MOVE AFT, SO HE DECIDED TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE POINT. AFTER APPROACHING FOR LANDING IN A RICE FIELD, HE ATTEMPTED TO LEVEL THE HELICOPTER AT THREE FEET. HE SAID THE HELICOPTER THEN FLEW OFF TO THE RIGHT AND REAR. ADDITIONALLY HE STATED THAT HE APPLIED PEDAL TO TURN THE HELICOPTER 180 DEGREES AND SKID IT ONTO THE GROUND FOR LANDING. DURING THIS ATTEMPT, THE PILOT LOST CONTROL AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER. NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 209 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 151 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 213 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 20, 1992; 70 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway RW152 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE at 7:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,100 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from LCH, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under UNREG the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.