Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Wrens, Georgia 30833
Friday, June 8, 2012 16:45 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The student pilot/owner of the accident gyroplane was the lead in a flight of two gyroplanes that had departed the airport traffic pattern to fly over nearby fields. The pilot in the second gyroplane stated that, less than 1 mile from the airport, he observed the accident gyroplane begin a smooth, descending left turn that continued until ground impact. The second pilot did not observe any anomalies with the accident gyroplane nor receive any radio transmissions indicating a problem before seeing the turn and impact. A witness located on a road near the accident site stated that the accident gyroplane was approaching and appeared to be level with a set of overhead lines when it began a steep left turn and descended into the ground. While it could not be determined if the turn was initiated as an evasive maneuver, the pilot’s decision to fly at low altitude increased the likelihood that such a maneuver would be necessary and provided little room for error in the event that the gyroplane entered an unusual attitude or the pilot experience a momentary distraction. Postaccident examination of the gyroplane revealed extensive fire damage that precluded the establishment of flight control continuity. The engine was rotated by hand at the propeller flange and continuity was confirmed to each of the two cylinders. Review of postaccident autopsy and toxicology testing results showed no evidence of any preexisting condition that would have resulted in the pilot’s incapacitation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s loss of control during a low-altitude maneuver for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to fly at low altitude.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/8/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1645 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Wrens |
| Event State | GEORGIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 30833 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 331335N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0822334W |
| 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 | 1655 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 160 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HQU |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 501 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 20 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| 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) | 29 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 15 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 90 |
| 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) | 30.04 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KHQU 081955Z AUTO 09006KT 10SM CLR 29/15 A3004 RMK |
| 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 Docket Number (internal use) | 31463 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jul 24 2013 1:20PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1481 |
| NTSB Number | ERA12LA386 |
| 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 | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | BOWEN CHRISTOPHER W |
| Aircraft Model | DOGBEE |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 001 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BOWEN CHRISTOPHER W |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | BLUFFTON |
| Aircraft Owner State | SC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 29910-5311 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | BOWEN CHRISTOPHER W |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | BLUFFTON |
| Operator State | SC |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 29910-5311 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | -- |
| Departure City | Wrens |
| Departure State | GA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1550 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Wrens |
| Destination State | GA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 13 2013 10:04AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| 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 | -- |