Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Crowley, Texas 76036
Saturday, December 29, 2007 11:40 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The amateur built gyrocopter was destroyed following a loss of rotor rpm and subsequent collision with terrain while maneuvering. A witness initially heard a "loud pop" and then observed the gyrocopter, approximately 50-feet above the ground, descending at a nose down angle of approximately 60-degrees. The gyrocopter impacted the ground approximately 100-feet from where the witness was located. The witness further reported that before the impact, the rotor blades appeared to be spinning "slowly." Inspection of the wreckage revealed that the rotor blades had struck the rudder twice. In addition, the rotor hub and rotor blades exhibited evidence of upward coning, consistent with the rotor blades having lost rigidity due to low rpm. Inspection of the wreckage did not reveal any mechanical failure/malfunction which would have resulted in the loss of control.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm while maneuvering, which resulted in a loss of rotor blade rigidity.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/29/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1140 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Crowley |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 76036 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 323326N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0972908W |
| 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 | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1147 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 90 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | FWS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 700 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CST |
| 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) | 8 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -7 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 150 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.15 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 24596 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Fort Worth FSDO |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 29 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 10 2008 4:39PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gamw |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Fort Worth, Texas |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N136DG |
| NTSB Number | DFW08LA052 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| 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 | ALTHOUSE |
| Aircraft Model | RAF 2000 GTX |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | H2-03-14-563 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1320 |
| Aircraft Category | Gyrocraft |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | 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 | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | DASE DANIEL A |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 6458 SUMAC RD |
| Aircraft Owner City | FORT WORTH |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 76116-8131 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | DASE DANIEL A |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 6458 SUMAC RD |
| Operator City | FORT WORTH |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 76116-8131 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | FWS |
| Departure City | FORT WORTH |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1130 |
| 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 | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 10 2008 4:31PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gamw |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |