Clarksville Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Clarksville, Arkansas 72830
Friday, April 27, 2001 10:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot completed 3 touch-and-go landings in the gyrocraft at the airport. He stated that his 4th takeoff was "normal;" however, as the gyrocraft was climbing through 70 feet, the pilot noticed that the control stick "became difficult to move left and right." The pilot reduced the engine power to idle, and the gyrocraft started to descend to the left. He applied right pressure on the control stick, and the control "suddenly became free;" however, "left and right control was lost and the gyrocopter descended to the left." The gyrocraft impacted terrain at 45-50 mph. The pilot stated that the control stick had become "loose." He added that he could have conducted "more preflight inspection," and "tighten[ed] all adjuster fittings."

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inadequate preflight inspection, which resulted in a loose control stick on takeoff, rendering the aircraft uncontrollable.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/27/2001
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1030
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Clarksville
Event State ARKANSAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 72830
Event Date Year 2001
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport Clarksville Municipal
Event Location Nearest Airport ID H35
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 481
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 10269
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 30 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 730
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jul 30 2001 11:11AM
User who most recently changed record MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Little Rock, Arkansas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N36BJ
NTSB Number FTW01LA114
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Boykin B J
Aircraft Model B8M
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 81679
Certified Max Gross Weight 650
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Oct 20 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 235
Airframe Hours 235
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Lanny Bicio
Aircraft Owner Street Address HCR-62 Box 125
Aircraft Owner City Ozone
Aircraft Owner State AR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 72854
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 H35
Departure City Clarksville
Departure State AR
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1000
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 Descent - uncontrolled
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Jun 14 2001 9:29AM
User who most recently changed record MORJU
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --