Mitteer MINI 500 N501GM

Summary

On 1 August 1997 at about 02:45 local time, a Mitteer MINI 500 registered N501GM was involved in an accident near Agua Dulce, California, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 August 1997 at 02:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Agua Dulce, California, United States

Nearest airport

Pvt Helipad

Coordinates

34.4309, -118.5095

Aircraft

Mitteer MINI 500

Registration

N501GM

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

LAX97LA269

1 person was seriously injured.

failure of the owner/builder to obtain and comply with service literature from the kit manufacturer, which resulted in improper setting of the carburetor fuel mixture and led to loss of engine power. An additional cause was the pilot's failure to successfully autorotate the helicopter to an emergency landing. The pilot's lack of total experience in the type helicopter and lack of recent experience in performing autorotations were related factors.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the recently completed, kit-built helicopter, stated that the engine stopped abruptly about 150 feet above helipad elevation as he was on base leg for landing. A hard landing resulted from an unsuccessful autorotation. Examination of the helicopter revealed that the size of the metering jet installed in both carburetors by the owner/pilot was too small, and that the fuel metering pin in both carburetors was improperly set so as to create an excessively lean fuel/air mixture, which resulted in loss of engine power. The pilot reported having 50 hours total helicopter flight time and that he last practiced autorotations 22 years prior to the accident. A revised aircraft assembly manual, which added a discussion of fuel jets and metering pins, was offered to holders of the earlier manual at a reduced price; however, the owner/builder did not purchase it. An article in the manufacture's newsletter, again discussing the importance of this subject, was sent to the owner/builder's address of record.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.