Amateur-built Rotorway Exec 90 accident near Manchester, New Hampshire, November 18, 2006
On November 18, 2006 at about 7:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Rotorway Exec 90 (helicopter), registered N169JS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Manchester, New Hampshire (Manchester 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
An improperly installed oil line, which resulted in oil line fatigue failure and a subsequent loss of oil to the engine. A contributing factor was the sloping terrain at the forced landing site.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 18, 2006 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Manchester, New Hampshire · Manchester Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Rotorway Exec 90
- Registration
- N169JS · no longer on the register · serial SH-002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The amatuer-built helicopter was about 45 minutes into its flight when the pilot heard a "pop," and saw a puff of blue smoke. He also noticed an odor of "burning" oil, and heard "crackling" in the engine compartment on the pilot's side of the helicopter. He selected a forced landing site and entered autorotation as the engine "sputtered" and stopped producing power. The helicopter touched down on an upslope with forward motion, then rolled over on to its side. A split engine oil suppy line was identified at the site, and examination revealed that beneath the torn fire sleeve and damaged outer braiding material, there was longitudinal cracking about 1 inch in length due to fatigue. Positioning of the oil line on the accident helicopter was different than a factory-assembled version that was examined, but because the helicopter was amateur built, there was no standard. Photographs of the oil line installation on the 23 year-old accident helicopter suggested the oil line was curved more tightly than the manufacturer's suggested minimum radius, and showed the oil line in close proximity to a source of high heat; the engine exhaust.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,360 hours in all; 18 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,018 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 173 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2006; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,425 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway RW152 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASH Nashua NH at 6:45 pm
- Destination: ASH
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from ASH, 11 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.
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.