Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Bourland Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Bourland, Texas 76126
Saturday, October 20, 2012 11:45 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The private pilot, who had 10 hours of dual instruction and 1.5 hours of solo flight in the gyroplane make and model, was performing touch-and-go landings in the gyroplane in pursuit of a gyroplane endorsement when the gyroplane impacted terrain during a takeoff, and the fuselage was substantially damaged. The pilot could not recall the accident sequence. The wind at the time of the accident was from 190 degrees at 19 knots gusting to 27 knots. Documentation showed that the pilot had been signed off by his flight instructor to operate the gyroplane solo in wind up to 9 knots. A visual examination of the gyroplane did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the information available, it is likely the pilot did not maintain directional control while taking off in the gyroplane in strong, gusty wind conditions.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's decision to fly the gyroplane in gusty wind conditions that exceeded his limitations and his resultant loss of control during takeoff.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/20/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1145 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Bourland |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 76126 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 323455N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0973527W |
| Event Location Airport | Bourland Field |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | K50F |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 873 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1053 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 88 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KFWS |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 689 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 14 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| 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) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 15 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 190 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 19 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 27 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.88 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | METAR KFWS 201553Z 19019G27KT 10SM CLR 23/15 A2988 |
| 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) | 31050 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Texas DPS |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 25 2013 4:00PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N589DH |
| NTSB Number | CEN13CA017 |
| 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 | HUNTHROP |
| Aircraft Model | AUTOGYRO MTO SPORT |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | M0098 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 550 |
| 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 | -- |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | HUNTHROP WILLIAM D |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | FORT WORTH |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 76133 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | HUNTHROP WILLIAM D |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | FORT WORTH |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 76133 |
| 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 | K50F |
| Departure City | Bourland |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1015 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | K50F |
| Destination City | Bourland |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 25 2013 4:02PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 17 |
| Runway Length | 4049 |
| Runway Width | 60 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |