Worthington Rotorway accident near Pattison, TX
On September 25, 2010, a Worthington Rotorway (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Pattison, TX. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- September 25, 2010
- Place
- Pattison, TX
- Aircraft
- Worthington Rotorway · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 29.810°N, 96.047°W
- NTSB ID
- 20100925X54904
Official records · CEN10LA558
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On September 25, 2010, about 0925 central daylight time, a Worthington Rotorway International Exec 90, N520RW, impacted terrain near Pattison, Texas. The pilot, the sole occupant on board, was fatally injured. The helicopter was substantially damaged. The helicopter was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions (VMC) prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan had been filed. The local flight originated from the pilot's residence in Brookshire, Texas, approximately 0915. According to the lead Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector who went to the scene, this was the first flight of the helicopter since the owner had performed some maintenance. The work had not been recorded in the helicopter's maintenance records. A witness working in a nearby field said he heard and saw the helicopter fly overhead. He said the "rotor blades were making funny noises." He then observed a plume of smoke. He did not witness the impact. The witness did not submit a written statement. FAA inspectors examined the wreckage and said they found no anomalies with the flight control system, rotor system, or engine. Photographs taken at the accident site were sent to Rotorway International. A company representative told FAA that the main rotor blades displayed signatures consistent with a decay of the main rotor rpm. According to the autopsy report, death was attributed to "massive blunt force injuries consistent with high-speed deceleration trauma." According
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain main rotor rpm, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and collision with terrain.
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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
