Accident Details
On July 5, 2024, at approximately 0801 central daylight time, a Rotorway Scorpion 133 helicopter, registration N51017, was substantially damaged in an accident near Andale, Kansas. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, sustained fatal injuries. The helicopter was being operated as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
According to the pilot's family, the flight departed from his personal residence. The pilot was conducting maneuvers in preparation for a helicopter rating check ride.
Witness Account
A witness traveling in a motor vehicle reported hearing a loud “bang” and observed debris separating from the helicopter as it descended to the ground.
Wreckage Examination
The wreckage came to rest on its left side in a swale located in a wooded area bordering a cultivated field, approximately 1.6 miles northeast of the departure point. A postcrash fire consumed most of the composite structure. The tail rotor assembly and a section of the tailboom's tubular steel structure were found about 150 yards southwest of the main wreckage.
Examination of the separated tailboom sections revealed semicircle impressions at the separation points and deformation to the left. Leading edge abrasions and witness marks were noted on the outboard area of the main rotor blades.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating, issued on March 28, 2013. He was issued a third-class medical certificate on December 19, 2022. A review of the pilot’s logbook indicated he had accrued 32.6 hours of dual instruction, 28.8 hours of solo flight, and a total of 61.4 hours of flight experience in the Rotorway Scorpion 133. The last recorded solo endorsement was dated October 7, 2022.
The wreckage was retained for further examination.