Accident Details
On July 4, 2024, at approximately 1043 eastern daylight time, a Rotorway 162 F helicopter, registration N426DM, sustained substantial damage in an accident near Maybee, Michigan. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported completing a preflight inspection of the helicopter and taxiing for takeoff without noting any problems. After lifting into a hover, all systems checked normal. The pilot then took off and climbed to about 1,800 feet, flying locally for approximately one hour without incident.
Near the end of the flight, the pilot noticed that the engine and rotor RPM began to drop. After adjusting the collective and throttle, the rotor RPM surged and engine RPM fluctuated.
Emergency Landing
The pilot decided to perform an autorotation to a grass-covered field. During the descent, the pilot adjusted the cyclic and collective to maintain an airspeed of 70 knots and rotor RPM at about 100%. As the helicopter approached the field, the pilot initiated a flare to arrest forward momentum.
The helicopter contacted the ground, and the skids dug into soft soil. The tailboom then contacted the ground, causing the helicopter to nose forward, spin approximately 120 degrees, and come to rest upright.
Damage and Injuries
The accident resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor blades, fuselage, and tailboom. Both the pilot and passenger exited the helicopter uninjured.