Ground Loop Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Early, Texas 76802
Saturday, April 24, 1993 8:12 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A STUDENT PILOT LOST CONTROL OF HIS HOMEBUILT GYROPLANE ON ITS MAIDEN FLIGHT. DUE TO THE LOW CEILINGS AND HIGH WINDS, THE PILOT ELECTED TO RESTRICT HIS MORNING TRAINING SESSION TO GROUND RUNS AND SHORT HOPS OVER THE RUNWAY. DURING THE FIFTH LOW FLIGHT, THE GYROPLANE WAS OBSERVED HIGHER OVER THE GROUND THAN ON ANY OF HIS PREVIOUS RUNS, AND AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE END OF THE RUNWAY, FULL POWER WAS HEARD BEING APPLIED AND A STEEP CLIMB ESTABLISHED. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT AFTER TURNING DOWNWIND, WHILE STILL OPERATING AT FULL TAKEOFF POWER, A PROGRESSIVE PORPOISING LIKE OSCILLATION DEVELOPED FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF CONTROL. THE GYROPLANE WAS OBSERVED DESCENDING RAPIDLY TUMBLING END OVER END UNTIL IT DISAPPEARED BEHIND A TREE LINE. THE TRIM SPRING USED TO PROVIDE SENSITIVITY AND STABILITY TO THE ROTOR SYSTEM WAS FOUND OUT OF ADJUSTMENT

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S INADVERTENT PORPOISE. A FACTOR WAS THE IMPROPERLY ADJUSTED TRIM SPRING

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/24/1993
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 812
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City EARLY
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 76802
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GROUND LOOP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID NONE
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 170
Airport Elevation 1500
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 852 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 55
Weather Observation Facility ID SEP
Elevation of weather observation facility 1321
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 42
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1500
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) 583
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 24 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 935
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 50476
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6147N
NTSB Number FTW93FA138
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SNOBIRD
Aircraft Model 532
Aircraft Series Identifier 532
Aircraft Serial Number
Certified Max Gross Weight 760
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FOWLER, STEPHEN R.
Aircraft Owner Street Address ROUTE 10, BOX 1058
Aircraft Owner City BURLESON
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 76028
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FOWLER, STEPHEN R.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address ROUTE 10, BOX 1058
Operator City BURLESON
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 76028
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code NONE
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 810
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 18
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --