Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Spring, Texas 77375
Thursday, January 16, 2014 11:40 CST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot stated that, as he approached the runway, the tower controller reported that the wind was 210 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 19 knots. He performed a go-around due to the wind gusts blowing the gyroplane off course. He was then cleared to land on the parallel runway. The pilot reported that a quartering crosswind existed as he flew the approach; however, he landed the gyroplane without incident. As the pilot was reaching forward to change the pneumatic mode selector button from the “flight” to the “brake” position, a strong westerly wind gust lifted the gyroplane. The right wheel came off the ground, which caused the main rotor blade to strike the runway. The pilot attempted to straighten the gyroplane, but it veered off the runway and rolled onto its right side, which resulted in substantial damage to the empennage and main rotor. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation. The calculated crosswind component of 10 knots was below the allowable maximum landing crosswind component of 20 knots. The gyroplane’s flight manual states that, after landing, “use lateral control into wind to maintain rotor disc in level flight. Adjust lateral control input as rotor speed decays” before changing the pneumatic mode selector to the “brake” position.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s failure to maintain the gyroplane’s rotor control during the landing roll in gusting crosswind conditions.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/16/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1140 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Standard Time |
| Event City | Spring |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 77375 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 300343N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0953310W |
| Event Location Airport | David Wayne Hooks Memorial |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | DWH |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 0 |
| Airport Elevation | 152 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1153 Central Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | DWH |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 152 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| 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) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 3 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 210 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 17 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 24 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.15 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 32400 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA-ASW-ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 28 2014 1:28PM |
| User who most recently changed record | silj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N250TX |
| NTSB Number | CEN14TA116 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | AUTOGYRO |
| Aircraft Model | MTOSPORT |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | US10S01 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1212 |
| Aircraft Category | Gyrocraft |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| 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 | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 522 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | CITY OF TOMBALL |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 401 MARKET ST |
| Aircraft Owner City | TOMBALL |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 773754645 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | CITY OF TOMBALL |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 401 MARKET ST |
| Operator City | TOMBALL |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 773754645 |
| 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) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | DWH |
| Departure City | Spring |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1030 |
| Departure Time Zone | CST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | DWH |
| Destination City | Spring |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jan 28 2014 1:32PM |
| User who most recently changed record | silj |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 17R |
| Runway Length | 7009 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |