Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Monroe City, Missouri 63456
Sunday, April 2, 2000 18:00 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The gyrocopter sustained substantial damage on impact with a tree and terrain following a takeoff from runway 15 for a local flight. The pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. The pilot stated, 'I misread direction of wind from hanger area. I taxied to north end of runway and took off south with a 90 [degree] crosswind. When I passed over hanger area at the south end of runway I hit some turbulence. I should have did a emergency landing in the field south of runway, but chose to continue. At the south end of field that has trees on three sides I didn't have enough altitude to cross a ravine with trees. I hit the top of a large oak tree and fell 50 - 60 ft into the ravine.' The pilot listed his certificate and rating as private and single engine land. An on scene examination revealed no anomalies. Wind at Quincy, Illinois was 210 degrees at 7 knots. The pilot's safety recommendation stated, 'Take off the other direction.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot not obtaining clearance from the trees. Factors were the trees and the ravine terrain condition.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/2/2000
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City MONROE CITY
Event State MISSOURI
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 63456
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 750
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1552 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 53
Weather Observation Facility ID UIN
Elevation of weather observation facility 769
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 31
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3900
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10013
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Apr 2 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2010
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 17 2001 8:35AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1964
NTSB Number CHI00LA104
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 Wilson
Aircraft Model RAF 2000 GTX SE
Aircraft Series Identifier RAF 2000 G
Aircraft Serial Number H2-99-10-402
Certified Max Gross Weight 1500
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jan 1 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 20
Airframe Hours 69
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DOUGLAS R. WILSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4395 COUNTY ROAD 239
Aircraft Owner City MONROE CITY
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 63456
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City MONROE CITY
Departure State MO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 19 2001 12:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 15
Runway Length 1500
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --