Working record · subject to change
Preliminary narrative
On May 16, 2026, about 0950 central daylight time, a Vertical Aviation Technologies 300L Hummingbird helicopter, N284ST, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Lee’s Summit, Missouri. One passenger sustained minor injuries. The pilot and second passenger were not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that after completing his initial preflight actions, he departed from his home base in Milan, Missouri, for Trenton Municipal Airport (TRX) in Trenton, Missouri. After refueling at TRX, he then departed to Kansas City/Lee's Summit Regional Airport (LXT), Lee’s Summit, Missouri, to participate in an EAA Young Eagles flight. According to the pilot, the passengers were given a safety briefing after they were loaded into the helicopter. After the engine was started, the engine oil temperature was observed to be within the required range to engage the rotor systems, and the pilot initiated a low hover. The pilot stated that after he turned about 90° to the right and flew south about 15 ft above ground level, the helicopter yawed to the left and fell to the ground. The helicopter impacted sloped terrain and came to rest on its right side, which resulted in substantial damage to its vertical and horizontal stabilizers. Video footage of the accident depicted the helicopter entering translational flight and turning to the right. After about 5 seconds, the helicopter climbed about 15 ft above ground level (AGL). A sudden increase of engine RPM can be heard, followed immediately by a loss of control, during which the helicopter rotated counterclockwise and impacted the terrain. The wreckage was retained for further investigation.