Dumas Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dumas, Texas 79029
Saturday, August 29, 1992 11:10 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A PRIVATE PILOT WAS FLYING HIS RECENTLY PURCHASED GYROCOPTER IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. A WITNESS REPORTED HEARING A POWER REDUCTION WHILE THE GYROCOPTER WAS ON A HIGH DOWNWIND. AIRSPEED WAS NOT MAINTAINED AND THE ROTOR RPM DECAYED TO THE POINT WHERE THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN AS THE GYROCOPTER ROLLED TO THE LEFT IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT TO THE GROUND. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 6600 FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. A FACTOR WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/29/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1110
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City DUMAS
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79029
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DUMAS MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DUX
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport 10
Airport Elevation 3700
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1151 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 285
Weather Observation Facility ID DHT
Elevation of weather observation facility 3961
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 35
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 18000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 10
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6000
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2450
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 29 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47221
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N700TB
NTSB Number FTW92DQG02
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91F: Special Flt Ops.
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name WOODSTOCK
Aircraft Model AIR COMMAND 532
Aircraft Series Identifier AIR COMMAN
Aircraft Serial Number 532
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 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 --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCHMIDT, BARNEY B., JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 908
Aircraft Owner City DUMAS
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 79029
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SCHMIDT, BARNEY B., JR.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address BOX 908
Operator City DUMAS
Operator State TX
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 79029
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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code DUX
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1105
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code DUX
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 19
Runway Length 5473
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --