Accident Overview
On February 23, 2020, about 1808 eastern standard time, an experimental, amateur-built XE285 helicopter, registration N840GS, was substantially damaged in an accident near North Manchester, Indiana. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight.
Witness and Family Reports
A witness observed the helicopter from a distance approximately 30 minutes before the accident, noting it appeared to be hovering, but could not determine whether it was over an airstrip or a nearby field. Family members of the pilot reported that the pilot had purchased the helicopter about three years prior. They stated the pilot had received some helicopter flight instruction but limited his flights in the accident helicopter to practicing hovering, taxiing, and landings at their airstrip. The family mentioned the pilot had experienced two previous hard landings in the same helicopter. They believed the pilot was performing similar maneuvers at the time of the accident. The pilot had previously told family that he struggled to overcome habits from flying airplanes and would sometimes push the cyclic forward when encountering difficulty.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a private-pilot certificate with a rating for airplane single-engine land. According to his logbook, he had accumulated about 22 total hours of helicopter experience over three years, including 12.6 hours of instructional flights in an Enstrom 280FX and 9.4 hours logged as pilot-in-command (solo) in the accident helicopter. The pilot had not received an endorsement for solo flight in a helicopter. Logbook entries for flights in the accident helicopter were annotated with “hover and taxiing.”
Aircraft Information
No aircraft maintenance logbooks were located during the investigation. A single record of repairs conducted by Composite FX, dated February 15, 2020, was found, indicating that repairs were necessary after a hard landing.
Wreckage and Impact Examination
The accident site was on the east end of a private grass airstrip about 3 miles west of North Manchester. The helicopter came to rest on its right side. Both aluminum main rotor blades remained attached to the rotor mast; one was partially embedded in the ground with bending and deformation, and the second was bent about 70° with deformation. Two impact marks, one linear, were found within 3 feet of the nose. The fiberglass tail boom separated from the fuselage but was retained by the anti-torque control cable. The tail rotor assembly remained attached; one tail rotor blade was mostly straight, while the second separated from the gearbox about 3 inches outboard of its attachment point, consistent with impact damage.
Flight control continuity from cyclic and collective to the swash plate assembly was continuous. The main rotor mast was folded forward into the cabin area. Two control rods above the swash plate assembly were fractured in a manner consistent with impact, but continuity continued from the breaks through the rotor mast to the main rotor blades. Anti-torque pedal control cables were intact from pedals to the tail rotor assembly.
Throttle continuity from the collective to the dual carburetor assembly was verified. Liquid consistent with automotive gasoline, clear of contaminants and water, was found in both main and reserve fuel tanks. Engine continuity and compression were verified; rotating the radiator fan caused both pistons and the output shaft to move. The hour meter displayed 22:06 at impact. Postaccident examination revealed no pre-impact anomalies with the airframe or engine.
Two MGL Avionics Stratomaster Velocity engine monitors and a Dynojet Power Commander V module were recovered. Downloaded data from each unit was consistent with the engine producing power at impact.
Additional Information
The Assembly and Operating/Maintenance Manual for the Composite FX XE-285 helicopter stated: "Although it is light and small, the Composite FX aircraft is a real helicopter in every sense... It therefore requires the same amount of respect and consideration for safety and integrity required of a larger helicopter. In order to fly the Composite FX helicopter, pilots must receive proper training. It is strongly recommended that pilots be fully trained to private pilot status in a small training helicopter such as a Robinson R-22. Training to student pilot status is considered the minimum acceptable amount of training required. To be flown as an experimental aircraft the pilot must possess a private pilot’s license."
Medical and Pathological Information
The pilot initially survived the accident and received medical treatment. Due to medical procedures performed after the accident, neither toxicology testing nor an autopsy was conducted.