Amateur-built EXEC accident near Colville, Washington, August 5, 2012
On August 5, 2012 at about 10:45 pm local time, a amateur-built EXEC (helicopter), registered N156RW, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (from runway) near Colville, Washington (Colville Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's lack of experience in the helicopter, which resulted in his failure to maintain ground clearance during the taxi hover, followed by inadvertent ground contact and rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2012 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Colville, Washington · Colville Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EXEC 90
- Registration
- N156RW · no longer on the register · serial 1001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot with an airplane single-engine land rating was learning to fly his son's experimental amateur-built helicopter and had accumulated about 20 hours in type. His plan for the day was to conduct solo hover practice. After about 20 minutes of hover practice on a grass runway at the non-towered airport, he began hover-taxiing the helicopter back to its hangar. As he approached the hangar area, he realized that the helicopter had excessive speed for an upcoming turn, and the pilot tried to slow the helicopter. However, instead of just decelerating, the helicopter settled to the ground. At the time the helicopter contacted the ground, it had some lateral translation. One of the skids caught on the ground, and the helicopter rolled over onto its left side. The pilot shut down the helicopter and extracted himself. The main rotor blades, tailboom, and one skid were substantially damaged, and the pilot was uninjured. The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation and that his inexperience in the helicopter resulted in his inability to control it during the taxi.
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
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during taxi (from runway)
- Roll over during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Response/compensation
- cause Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 605 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: March 23, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 85 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 12, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway R1 162 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 63S Colville WA
- Destination: 63S Colville WA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°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.