Amateur-built ROTORWAY 152 accident near Ravenna, Ohio, August 5, 2000
On August 5, 2000 at about 11:09 pm local time, a amateur-built ROTORWAY 152 (helicopter), registered N11662, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ravenna, Ohio. It was a personal 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
The pilot/owner's inadequate installation of an ignition lead that resulted in a partial loss of engine power and forced landing to unsuitable terrain. A factor in the accident was the soybean crop in the forced landing site.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2000 · about 11:09 pm local time
- Place
- Ravenna, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ROTORWAY 152 ROTORWAY 1
- Registration
- N11662 · no longer on the register · serial 1-8696
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The homebuilt helicopter was in cruise flight at 70 knots approximately 600 feet above ground level (agl) when the pilot heard a loud report from behind the cockpit, felt the helicopter yaw, and thought the tail rotor had departed the helicopter. After he entered autorotation, he realized that he still had tail rotor authority. During the descent, the engine was running smoothly at idle, and he chose to continue the autorotation at idle power. The helicopter touched down in a field. At the end of the ground run, the skids became entangled in the soybean crop and the helicopter rolled over. The pilot reported that his post-accident examination of the helicopter revealed he had left a spark plug wire unsecured after a recent inspection, and that he was sure the loose wire caused the interruption in power and the adverse yaw during the flight. He said there were no other mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 18,935 hours in all; 118 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 18,734 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 106 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 2000; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway RW-152 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Atwater OH at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 163°F (73°C), dew point 126°F (52°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from AKR, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.