Amateur-built 162F accident near New Smyrna Beac, Florida, October 1, 2004
On October 1, 2004 at about 6:40 pm local time, a amateur-built 162F (helicopter), registered N7059F, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Smyrna Beac, Florida (Massey Ranch Airpark airport). 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
A loss of engine power due to undetermined reasons, which resulted in the pilot entering autorotation and affecting a forced landing to the water.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 2004 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- New Smyrna Beac, Florida · Massey Ranch Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 162F
- Registration
- N7059F · no longer on the register · serial 6725
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the first 20 minutes of the flight had been uneventful, however, as he turned to return to the departure airport, he noticed a power loss, and that the rotor rpm was at the "low green" portion of the operating range. He said he lowered collective and increased throttle input, but the rpm continued to drop to the "mid- yellow" range. He initiated an autorotation from about 400 feet AGL, and landed the helicopter in the water. Examination of the helicopter and its systems did not reveal any preaccident anomalies.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 52 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 86.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2004; 7.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway RI-162F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7FL6 Daytona Beach FL at 6:15 pm
- Destination: 7FL6
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from DAB, 15 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.
Other NTSB records under N7059F 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.