Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tulsa, Oklahoma 74115
Thursday, July 31, 2008 7:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot was attempting to take off from the airfield when the gyroplane climbed out of ground effect. The pilot noted that the gyroplane did not want to climb or maintain altitude and began descend. The pilot commanded a right turn and the descent rate began to increase. The forced landing was set up in a nearby field. A hard landing was reported by the pilot and the gyroplane rolled onto its left side. The pilot was able to egress without assistance. A review of the pilot's log book revealed that the student pilot had not received an endorsement from a flight instructor within the prescribed 90 days of the solo flight. An NTSB 6120 was not submitted prior to the completion of this case.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to maintain control of the gyroplane. Contributing to the accident was the lack of recent flight instruction prior to the flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/31/2008
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 715
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City Tulsa
Event State OKLAHOMA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 74115
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 361154N
Event Location Longitude 0955317W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
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 653 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID TUL
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 800
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 130
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) 29.78
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 24313
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jul 31 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Sep 26 2008 6:40PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\lema
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Oklahoma City

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N167SC
NTSB Number DFW08CA208
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Groom
Aircraft Model Sparrow Hawk
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number SH20040004K
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 No
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Groom
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Tulsa
Aircraft Owner State OK
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 74133
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 Tulsa
Operator State OK
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 74133
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 5F2
Departure City TULSA
Departure State OK
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
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 Takeoff - initial climb
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 12 2008 3:27PM
User who most recently changed record GAMW
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --