Amateur-built ROTORWAY EXEC accident near Mather, California, October 13, 1996
On October 13, 1996, a amateur-built ROTORWAY EXEC (helicopter), registered N18WC, was destroyed in an accident near Mather, California (Sacrmento Mather airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
excessive maneuvering by the pilot, which allowed the main rotor blades to contact and sever the tail rotor system and allowed mast bumping to occur.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 13, 1996
- Place
- Mather, California · Sacrmento Mather · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built ROTORWAY EXEC ROTORWAY E
- Registration
- N18WC · registry record · serial WPC001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a home built helicopter was attempting to drop an object (bag of flour) to a target on the ground. Approaching the target area, the helicopter was observed to maneuver, then it went out of control and crashed. Investigation revealed evidence that the main rotor blades contacted and severed the tailboom. Also, there was evidence of mast bumping. The helicopter was equipped with composite main rotor blades; kit/factory approved blades were made of metal. No mechanical malfunction was found.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 100 hours in all; 100 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 80 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MHR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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 LAX97LA014.