Rogerson Hiller Corp. RH-1100 accident near Stanwood, Washington, September 11, 2007
On September 11, 2007 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Rogerson Hiller Corp. RH-1100 (helicopter), registered N6014U, was destroyed in an accident near Stanwood, Washington (Camano-Stanwood airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to execute a go-around and his failure to reduce his groundspeed to zero prior to touching down on the rough/uneven terrain. Factors include the momentary restriction of a flight control, rough/uneven terrain, and a tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 2007 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Stanwood, Washington · Camano-Stanwood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rogerson Hiller Corp. RH-1100
- Registration
- N6014U · no longer on the register · serial 504
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While en route to his planned destination, the pilot noticed that one of two latches on the right side cabin door had come loose. He therefore elected to land in a grassy area alongside the runway of a nearby airstrip. While turning from base to final, the cyclic was momentarily restricted by being caught on the shorts of the passenger. Although the movement of the cyclic was only momentarily restricted, it resulted in the pilot delaying his transition to a slower airspeed and a reduced rate of descent prior to establishing a pre-landing hover. Instead of executing a go-around, the pilot decided to continue his transition, but he was unable to enter a hover prior to touching down with a slight forward movement on the rough uneven terrain. When the helicopter touched down, the left skid became stuck in a rut, and that, along with a slight tailwind and the residual forward movement of the helicopter, resulted in a dynamic rollover. In his written statement, the pilot said, "Making a go-around would have been the best way to prevent this accident."
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: KBVS Burliington WA
- Destination: KPAE Everett WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.