Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Perkins Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Overton, Nevada 89040
Monday, March 27, 2000 11:24 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The gyrocopter was seen porpoising over the runway when it became inverted and impacted the runway from 100 feet agl. The gyrocopter was destroyed in the ensuing post-impact fire. The pilot had indicated to a hangar mate and his spouse that this was the maiden flight. The pilot had purchased the gyrocopter a year earlier and conducted only taxi runs and engine ground runs during that time. A witness saw him take off and immediately saw the gyrocopter porpoising. The gyrocopter left the airport environment for a few minutes and then made a turn back towards the runway. The porpoising was observed to have stopped, and then started up again with an increase in intensity. A witness heard the engine power back and then saw the gyrocopter become inverted and impact the runway. Another witness stated that he saw the gyrocopter takeoff and noted that the main rotor blades appeared to be turning slowly. A review of the pilot's airman's certificate revealed that he did not hold a rotorcraft rating.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Failure of the pilot to obtain/maintain aircraft control. A factor in the accident was the pilot's inexperience in rotorcraft.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/27/2000 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1124 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | OVERTON |
| Event State | NEVADA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 89040 |
| Event Date Year | 2000 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | PERKINS FIELD |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | U08 |
| 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 | 1358 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1056 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 215 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | LAS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2179 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 58 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 14000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| 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) | 70 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 30 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 140 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 4 |
| 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) | 11177 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 27 2000 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1225 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | IMAGE |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 14 2001 9:59AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N60739 |
| NTSB Number | LAX00LA140 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Stuart |
| Aircraft Model | RAF 2000 GTX SE |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | RAF 2000 G |
| Aircraft Serial Number | H2-97-8-312 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1540 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 29 1998 12:00AM |
| 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 | GLENN E. HALLS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | |
| Aircraft Owner City | LOGANDALE |
| Aircraft Owner State | NV |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 89021 |
| 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 | U08 |
| 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 | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 1 2001 4:45AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 0 |
| Runway Length | 4800 |
| Runway Width | 75 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |