Pohlman/Pohlman ROTORWAY EXEC 90 N94CJ

Summary

On 21 September 1997 at about 18:45 local time, a Pohlman/Pohlman ROTORWAY EXEC 90 registered N94CJ was involved in an accident near Westminster, Maryland, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 September 1997 at 18:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Westminster, Maryland, United States

Nearest airport

Carroll County Regional (W54)

Coordinates

39.6496, -77.0401

Aircraft

Pohlman/Pohlman ROTORWAY EXEC 90

Registration

N94CJ

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

Day

NTSB number

IAD97LA121

1 person had minor injuries.

The loss of power due to carburetor icing. A factor to this accident was the carburetor heat was not accessible from within the cockpit.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot remained in the traffic pattern for 40 minutes in his homebuilt helicopter, performing takeoffs and landings. At 200 feet on final approach with 19 inches of manifold pressure set, the engine stopped running. During the forced landing, the pilot maneuvered to avoid an embankment and impacted the ground damaging the tail boom and rotor blades. Examination of the engine revealed no mechanical malfunctions. The temperature/dew point was: 57 degrees Fahrenheit and 38 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively. Utilizing the 'Icing Probability Curves' charts, these temperatures combined with a glide power setting, placed the carburetor within the serious icing range. Examination of the helicopter revealed that the carburetor heat was preset prior to the flight and not accessible from inside the cockpit. After the accident, the FAA recommended to the manufacturer that a switch be placed in the cockpit. The manufacturer completed a modification allowing control of the carburetor heat from inside the cabin.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.