Pauls Valley Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pauls Valley, Oklahoma 73075
Sunday, June 14, 1998 20:06 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

Witnesses observed the pilot flying the gyroplane around the airport at a 'low altitude' for about 30-35 minutes, and then land. The pilot made adjustments to the rotor head trim and then took off again. The witnesses reported that the pilot 'did a lot of very low flying between hangars, [and] never got over 15-20 feet high.' A witness reported that the pilot made another low pass over them close to the north end of a hangar. The pilot then flew down the NW runway and to the west out of their view. When the aircraft returned from the west, it was about 10 to 12 feet agl. As the aircraft came around the hangar, a rotor blade struck the hangar door support, separating the rotor blade from the aircraft. The gyroplane came to rest inverted. The pilot was wearing a helmet; however, the strap did not have a buckle.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The non-certificated pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the hangar. A factor was the pilot's maneuvering at a low altitude.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/14/1998
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2006
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PAULS VALLEY
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 73075
Event Date Year 1998
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PAULS VALLEY MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID F61
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 968
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1956 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID OKC
Elevation of weather observation facility 968
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 45
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 340
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1105
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 15 1998 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 11:32AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4874X
NTSB Number FTW98LA263
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Moore
Aircraft Model B-8MJ
Aircraft Series Identifier B-8MJ
Aircraft Serial Number 431-78234
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Gyrocraft
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT L. MOORE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3672 US 127 SOUTH
Aircraft Owner City GREENVILLE
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 45331
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name LLOYD A. MILLIGAN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address RT 2, BOX 221
Operator City ELMORE CITY
Operator State OK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 73035
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code F61
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --