# Accident 19980418013629A: Amtr RAF2000GTXSE, Hollister, CA, April 18, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 18, 1998, 10:30 local time
- Place: Hollister, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.3009° N, 122.0891° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3009&lon=-122.0891&mi=10
- Aircraft: N313EP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N313EP-2001-07-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Porat Eli RAF 200 GTX (registry code 05605SD, https://openairdocs.org/model/porat-eli-raf-200-gtx) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR RAF2000GTXSE
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,030 total, 9 in this make and model, 16 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA138](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA138) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980418013629A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

VIBRATION RETURNING TO AIRPORT. DISTRACTED TRYING TO LOCATE SOURCE. CRASHED IN OPEN FIELD ONE MILE FROM 1C9 (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE FELT A STRONG VIBRATION FROM THE MAIN ROTOR.  HE STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING FINE AND OPINED THAT THE VIBRATION MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY AN UNCOORDINATED TURN.  HE FURTHER STATED THAT 'HE SPENT TOO MUCH TIME TRYING TO FIND OUT THE SOURCE OF THE VIBRATION AND FORGOT TO FLY THE [AIRCRAFT].'  AT THIS TIME HE WAS ABOUT 200 FEET AGL AND DIDN'T FEEL THAT HE HAD ENOUGH TIME TO RECOVER ANY ALTITUDE, SO HE DECIDED TO SLOW [HIMSELF] DOWN BY LANDING IN AN AREA OF BUSHES.  THE AIRCRAFT THEN COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN.  THE PILOT HOLDS A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH SINGLE AND MULTIENGINE LAND RATINGS.  THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY 9 HOURS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION IN HELICOPTERS, ALL IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT.  THIS WAS THE PILOT'S SECOND SOLO FLIGHT IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT.                                                                      (-23)^PRIVACY D^ SAID HE DEPARTED FROM THE HOLLISTER AIRPORT, PLANNING TO FLYI THE GYROPLANE FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES.  HE SAID HE ENTERED A WIDE BASE LEG                                           IN THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERN WHEN HE FELT WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS ROTOR VIBRATION. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE BIBRATION, ^PRIVACY D^ SAID HE BECAME DISTRACTED AND BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE PILOT-INDUCED OSCILLATION AND SIMULTANEOUS LOSS OF AIRSPEED.  THE AIRCRAFT THEN CRASHED APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE FROM THE AIRPORT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98LA138](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA138), Apr 18, 1998: Porat RAF-200 (N313EP), Hollister, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft. A factor in this accident is the pilot's lack of experience in type aircraft.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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