Johnson HELICYCLE accident near Arlington, Washington, July 8, 2010
On July 8, 2010 at about 8:05 pm local time, a Johnson HELICYCLE (helicopter), an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N62AJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern downwind) near Arlington, Washington (Arlington Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An undetermined airframe vibration which led to precautionary autorotation and hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 2010 · about 8:05 pm local time
- Place
- Arlington, Washington · Arlington Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Johnson HELICYCLE, amateur-built
- Registration
- N62AJ · registry record · serial 3-24
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that after an uneventful flight, he entered a left downwind traffic pattern for his intended landing area. As he lowered the collective to initiate a descent, he immediately experienced a severe vibration. The pilot stated that the vibration was so violent that it was impossible to read the cockpit instruments. He raised and lowered the collective and noted no change in the vibration. The pilot then initiated an autorotation to an open field adjacent to his intended landing area. The helicopter landed hard and came to rest upright. A postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed that the tail rotor was separated from the tail boom with additional damage observed to the fuselage and main rotor blades. Flight control continuity was established throughout the helicopter's flight control system. The source of the vibration could not be determined.
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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during approach (VFR pattern downwind)
- Autorotation Hard landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,183 hours in all; 109 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,047 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 21, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 123 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 4, 2010; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 850 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Solar T62 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AWO Arlington WA at 8:00 pm
- Destination: AWO Arlington WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,498 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.