ORMOND BEACH, FL, USA
N520PR
RICHMOND ROTORWAY EXECUTIVE
The helicopter lost engine power and while making a autorotative forced landing in a pasture collided with a fence. Examination of the engine after the accident indicated the nos. 1 and 2 cylinder exhaust valves were being held partially open by excessive carbon build-up.
On May 13, 1994, about 1058 eastern daylight time, a Richmond Rotorway Executive, N520PR, registered to Donald R. Redman, crashed while making a forced landing following loss of engine power, in Ormond Beach, Florida, while on a 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The helicopter was substantially damaged and the pilot received serious injuries. The flight originated at Ormond Beach, Florida, minutes before the flight. A witness in the area stated she observed the helicopter flying westbound at about 500 feet and then turn around and fly eastbound toward the Ormond Beach Airport. She then heard the helicopter's engine "pop" a few times and then appear to lose power. The helicopter began to descend. The helicopter collided with a fence,flipped, and crashed to the ground. Postcrash examination of the engine by an FAA inspector indicated the spark plugs for each of four cylinders had normal combustion deposits. The nos. 1 and 2 cylinder exhaust valves had excessive carbon build up and carbon prevented the valves from closing. The nos. 1 and 2 cylinder walls were glazed and the piston rings were not creating a tight seal. (See attached inspector statement.) The pilot did not file an NTSB Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report as requested by the NTSB to him and to his attorney.
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S IMPROPER AUTOROTATION FOLLOWING PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WHICH RESULTED IN AN INFLIGHT COLLISION WITH A FENCE PRIOR TO GROUND TOUCHDOWN.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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