Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Nelsonia, Virginia 23414
Sunday, November 16, 2003 11:19 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was observed to initiate a takeoff in his homebuilt gyroplane, and then abort the takeoff. He pulled clear of the runway, and held for about 10 minutes with the engine idling, after which he pulled onto the runway again, and took off. He was next observed about 40 minutes later by a witness who reported that the nose of the gyroplane was oscillating up and down. The oscillations steadied out and the gyroplane disappeared from the view of the witnesses. Additional witnesses saw the gyroplane about 2 miles further long, still flying in the same direction. Three of the witnesses reported the gyroplane was in straight and level fight when it rolled inverted, and descended to the ground. One witness reported the gyroplane made a vertical climb, and reversed course to impact the ground. The main rotor blades exhibited damage consistent with low rotor, and had struck the vertical stabilizer. Marks were also found on the underside of the main rotor blades that were consistent with propeller contact. Flight control continuity was not confirmed due to fire and impact damage. The pilot's total flight experience was in excess of 14,550 hours, which included about 70 hours in make and model.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of control for undetermined reason(s).
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 11/16/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1119 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Nelsonia |
| Event State | VIRGINIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 23414 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 11 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 374918N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0753637W |
| 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 | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1054 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 57 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | WAL |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 40 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 5000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 14 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 180 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 9 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.23 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -355 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 16183 |
| NTSB Notification Source | EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Nov 17 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 930 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 1 2004 7:08AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Richmond, Virginia |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N999GC |
| NTSB Number | NYC04LA035 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Northam |
| Aircraft Model | RAF 2000 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | H2-02-13540 |
| 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 | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 7 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 50 |
| Airframe Hours | 50 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Richard A. Northam |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Machipongo |
| Aircraft Owner State | VA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 23405 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | MFV |
| Departure City | Melfa |
| Departure State | VA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1028 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | MFV |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 18 2004 10:17AM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | NA |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |