Accident RotorWay Exec 90 N7456T,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 39333
 
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Date:Saturday 7 September 1991
Time:18:00 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic EXEC model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
RotorWay Exec 90
Owner/operator:Rotorway International
Registration: N7456T
MSN: 5001
Total airframe hrs:136 hours
Engine model:ROTORWAY RI-162
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Phoenix, AZ -   United States of America
Phase: Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.)
Nature:Private
Departure airport:Glendale, AZ (KGEU)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
THE HELICOPTER WAS A FACTORY BUILT PROTOTYPE FOR A NEW KIT DESIGN AND THE PILOT WAS A COMPANY EMPLOYEE. SHERIFFS DETECTIVES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT HAD BEEN ARRESTED THE EVENING BEFORE FOR DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL. ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT'S ROOMMATE TELEPHONED THE AIRPORT AND SAID THAT THE PILOT WAS NOT TO FLY BECAUSE HE 'WAS ON SOMETHING.' THE PILOT ARRIVED AT THE AIRPORT AND TOOK THE HELICOPTER. ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY OWNER, THE PILOT STOLE THE HELICOPTER. WITNESSES AT THE LAKE REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER ARRIVED OVER THE LAKE AND BEGAN TO PERFORM A SERIES OF AEROBATIC LIKE MANEUVERS. THE HELICOPTER REPORTEDLY BUZZED SEVERAL BOATS IN THE LAKE AT A LOW LEVEL. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF MANEUVERING, THE WITNESSES SAID THE HELICOPTER SEEMED TO STOP, THEN DIVE INTO THE LAKE. SHERIFF'S DETECTIVES REPORTED THAT TWO SUICIDE NOTES WERE FOUND IN THE PILOT'S AUTOMOBILE PARKED AT THE AIRPORT.

Probable Cause: UNDETERMINED.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: LAX91LA387
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 1 year and 11 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB LAX91LA387

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
24-Oct-2008 10:30 ASN archive Added
21-Dec-2016 19:23 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
11-Apr-2024 12:25 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report]

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