Amateur-built Rotorway Exec 90 accident near Weston, West Virginia, July 4, 2005
On July 4, 2005 at about 3:45 pm local time, a amateur-built Rotorway Exec 90 (helicopter), registered N4359N, was destroyed in an accident near Weston, West Virginia (Louis Bennett Field). 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
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons during an attempted power recovery. A factor in the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm, which resulted in a hard landing and subsequent post crash fire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2005 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Weston, West Virginia · Louis Bennett Field · 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 90
- Registration
- N4359N · registry record · serial 5042
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot began an autorotation maneuver at 800 feet above ground level (agl), and upon reaching 100 feet agl began to flare the helicopter. When the helicopter's forward speed had reduced to almost zero, the pilot leveled its pitch attitude, and applied full throttle and right anti-torque pedal. The helicopter turned to the right, and due to a perceived lack of torque, the pilot believed that the engine had experienced a loss of power. He applied left anti-torque pedal to straighten the helicopter, and decreased the collective pitch in order to increase rotor rpm. He then increased the collective pitch to cushion the landing, but the helicopter impacted the ground hard and the skids collapsed outward. A post crash fire ensued and consumed nearly the entire helicopter. When asked, the pilot could not recall any engine or rotor instrument indications during the autorotation, and could not recall if the engine was running when the helicopter impacted the ground. Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies with the engine or the airframe.
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: student
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 60 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway RI-162 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Horner WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 11:20 am from W22
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 N4359N 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.