Amateur-built Mini-500 accident near Renfrew, Pennsylvania, September 7, 2002
On September 7, 2002 at about 6:00 pm local time, a amateur-built Mini-500 (helicopter), registered N373TG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Renfrew, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the main transmission.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2002 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Renfrew, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Mini-500
- Registration
- N373TG · no longer on the register · serial 373
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The amateur built helicopter was reported missing, and then located the following day. No information regarding the en route portion of the flight was available. No witnesses reported seeing the accident, and the pilot was not in radio contact with any air traffic control facilities, or automated flight service stations. The helicopter had a total of 25.6 hours of operation since construction. Examination of the wreckage revealed minor damage to both main rotor blades. Flight control continuity was confirmed from the cockpit to the main rotor and tailrotor. The transmission chip detector had metal fragments on it, the transmission oil contained suspended metal particles, and small pieces of metal were retrieved, with a magnet, from within the transmission. Examination of the engine revealed no preimpact failures or malfunctions.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 520 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25.6 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 840 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3GN Butler PA at 5:30 pm
- Destination: 8G7 Zelienople PA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from BVI, 21 miles away
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.
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.