19961102034619A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Amtr RAF2000 · Adrain, MI · November 2, 1996

Date: November 2, 1996 · 13:52 local
Place: Adrain, MI
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N914VT
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI97LA018
Reported as: Amtr RAF2000
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 23 total9 in this make and model9 in the last 90 days

N914VTRegistration cancelled May 23, 2017 · Frost Gary L RAF 2000 GTX SES/N H2-95-6-174 · Built 1996 Airframe modelFrost Gary L RAF 2000 GTX SE Engine modelSubaru ALL MDLS A/B4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Experimental gyrocopter exploded in mid air. (.4) the pilot had received 8.8 hours of dual instruction in the gyroplane. He had no solo flight experience when he departed on a planned cross country flight. A few minutes after takeoff, the gyroplane was observed making abrupt maneuvers followed by a departure of portions of the aircraft and a descent into the terrain. (.19) on November 2, 1996, at 1352 eastern standard time, a frost raf 2000 gtx se (gyro plane), N914VT, received substantial damage on impact with the terrain following contact between the main rotor system, the pusher propeller and other portions of the airframe. The accident occurred about two miles southeast of adrian, Michigan. The student pilot sustained fatal injuries. The personal 14 CFR part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions. No flight plan was on file. The flight departed adrian, Michigan, about 1345 en route to an unknown destination in Ohio.

As the FAA filed it

EXPERIMENTAL GYROCOPTER EXPLODED IN MID AIR. (.4) THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED 8.8 HOURS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION IN THE GYROPLANE. HE HAD NO SOLO FLIGHT EXPERIENCE WHEN HE DEPARTED ON A PLANNED CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. A FEW MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE GYROPLANE WAS OBSERVED MAKING ABRUPT MANEUVERS FOLLOWED BY A DEPARTURE OF PORTIONS OF THE AIRCRAFT AND A DESCENT INTO THE TERRAIN. (.19) ON NOVEMBER 2, 1996, AT 1352 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A FROST RAF 2000 GTX SE (GYRO PLANE), N914VT, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE ON IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN FOLLOWING CONTACT BETWEEN THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM, THE PUSHER PROPELLER AND OTHER PORTIONS OF THE AIRFRAME. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT TWO MILES SOUTHEAST OF ADRIAN, MICHIGAN. THE STUDENT PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE PERSONAL 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS ON FILE. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED ADRIAN, MICHIGAN, ABOUT 1345 EN ROUTE TO AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION IN OHIO.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI97LA018Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportAdrian, MIthe pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft. A factor was his lack of familiarity with the airplane.Nov 2, 1996 · Substantial damage