Amateur-built EXEC accident near Lake Havasu City, Arizona, December 8, 2025
On December 8, 2025 at about 6:30 pm local time, a 2010 amateur-built EXEC (helicopter), registered CGBZD, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Lake Havasu City, Arizona (Chemehuevi Valley 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 improper securing hardware installation, which resulted in a loss of throttle control and a loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 2025 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Havasu City, Arizona · Chemehuevi Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EXEC 162F, built 2010
- Registration
- CGBZD · no longer on the register · serial 6614
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot/owner of an amateur-built helicopter reported that, while transitioning through translational lift for landing at about 30 ft above ground level with near-zero forward airspeed, the engine experienced a loss of power. The pilot/owner attempted to perform an autorotative landing by increasing collective and applying left pedal, and the helicopter subsequently experienced a hard landing, bounced, and came to rest on the edge of the runway at an 45° angle. The helicopter then rocked backward, resulting in substantial damage to the tailboom and tail rotor blades. The pilot’s post-accident examination of the engine revealed that it started normally during a test run; however, the engine would not accelerate above idle power. Further examination determined that the throttle cable was disconnected due to a missing retaining nut. The pilot reported that he had installed a nyloc self-locking nut, but the bolt threads did not extend sufficiently into the nut to engage the nylon insert and secure the nut. As a result, the nut separated in flight, which allowed the throttle to move to the idle position and resulted in a loss of engine power.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during landing defining event
- Autorotation Loss of engine power (partial)
- Autorotation Hard landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel control/carburetor › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Modification/alteration › Owner/builder
- Personnel issues › Task performance › (general) › (general) › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › (general) › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: foreign licence, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,103 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 1,062 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 290 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 10, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway International RI 162F (piston); 290 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HII Lake Havasu City AZ at 4:45 pm
- Destination: 49X Lake Havasu City AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 am from EED, 17 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KEED 081756Z AUTO 34007KT 10SM CLR 17/01 A3026 RMK AO2 SLP234 T01670011 10167 20089 50009
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 4 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Damage to tailboom
Photograph 2 – Damage to tail rotor blades
Photograph 3 – Throttle cable without securing nut
Photograph 4 – Throttle assemblyThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on March 19, 2026. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.