Rotorway Exec 165F accident near Chandler, Arizona, April 1, 2002
On April 1, 2002 at about 4:55 pm local time, a Rotorway Exec 165F (helicopter), registered N21901, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chandler, Arizona. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The tail rotor drive system failure as a result of incorrect installation procedures by the manufacturer's personnel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 1, 2002 · about 4:55 pm local time
- Place
- Chandler, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rotorway Exec 165F
- Registration
- N21901 · no longer on the register · serial 6035
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter collided with the ground following a loss of tail rotor drive during a steep approach. After performing various maneuvers, the certified flight instructor (CFI) and the student began traffic patterns to a landing zone (LZ). On short final, approximately 40 feet agl, and 40 mph, the helicopter yawed left slowly. When the helicopter had reached a 45-degree left yaw, the CFI took the controls. As the helicopter approached a 90-degree left yaw, the CFI had applied full right pedal. Simultaneously, he lowered the collective and reduced power. The helicopter rotated 360 degrees about 3 times before impact. Post accident inspection revealed incorrect installation of the forward end of the intermediate drive belt on the intermediate pulley group. The tail rotor drive system uses three belts, interconnected via pulleys at various points within the tail boom, to drive the tail rotor. The forward and aft belts and pulleys were normal. The intermediate belt was found shredded, burned, and separated. The aft end of the intermediate belt was positioned correctly on the rear pulley; however, the forward end was around the wrong pulley, the one meant for the forward belt, which induced a large misalignment of the intermediate belt and consequent rub between it and the pulley side. All pulleys were installed with specified tightness and with fore/aft play as stated in the maintenance manual. Maintenance records for the helicopter indicated that the belts were replaced twice in the past 8 months, both times by the manufacturer. The first time was in August 2001, for a heavy maintenance rebuild. The second time was in November 2001 following a tail rotor strike. The belts had about 200 hours operating time since their last replacement in November.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 1,500 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 30, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 13,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 17, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,776 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 18, 2002; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway 162F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: P19 Chandler AZ
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 4:47 pm from KCHD, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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 N21901 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.