New Castle County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Castle, Indiana 47362
Tuesady, July 18, 2000 19:45 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The experimental amateur built gyrocopter was destroyed during a test flight while being piloted by the owner/builder. The rotor blades, rotor head, rotor spin up motor, propeller drive, propeller, and upper attachment arm had been modified. Witnesses described seeing the gyrocopter porpoise and gyrate over the airport following takeoff.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

aircraft control not attained by the pilot.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/18/2000
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1945
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City NEW CASTLE
Event State INDIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 47362
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport NEW CASTLE COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID UWL
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 225
Airport Elevation 1088
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID MIE
Elevation of weather observation facility 937
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 20
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 75
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 63
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 10375
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 18 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2053
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2001 10:56AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7242H
NTSB Number CHI00LA212
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 Hess
Aircraft Model RH-1 FALCON
Aircraft Series Identifier RH-1 FALCO
Aircraft Serial Number WCH01
Certified Max Gross Weight 1065
Aircraft Category Airplane
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM C. HESS
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 157
Aircraft Owner City MIDDLETON
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 47356
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code UWL
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1930
Departure Time Zone EST
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 Jul 19 2001 4:04AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 4002
Runway Width 65
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --