# Accident 19980614013339A: Amtr B8MJ4318A, Pauls Valley, OK, June 14, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 14, 1998
- Place: Pauls Valley, OK
- Airport: Pauls Valley Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Unauth Low Level Opns
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.7199° N, 97.2198° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7199&lon=-97.2198&mi=10
- Aircraft: N4874X, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4874X-2013-06-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Moore Robert L B-8MJ 4318A (registry code 1302305, https://openairdocs.org/model/moore-robert-l-b-8mj-4318a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR B8MJ4318A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW98LA263](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA263) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980614013339A

## Narrative

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

GYROPLANE OBSERVED FLYING LOW OVER AIRPORT. ROTOR BLADES STRUCK HANGAR.  SEPERATED ROTOR FROM AIRCRAFT.  (FROM .4) WITNESSES OBSERVED THE PILOT FLYING THE GYROPLANE AROUND THE AIRPORT AT A 'LOW ALTITUDE' FOR ABOUT 30-35 MINUTES, AND THEN LAND.  THE PILOT MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE ROTOR HEAD TRIM AND THEN TOOK OFF AGAIN.  THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE PILOT 'DID A LOT OF VERY LOW FLYING BETWEEN HANGARS, [AND] NEVER GOT OVER 15-20 FEET HIGH.'  A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE PILOT MADE ANOTHER LOW PASS OVER THEM CLOSE TO THE NORTH END OF A HANGAR.  THE PILOT THEN FLEW DOWN THE NW RUNWAY AND TO THE WEST OUT OF THEIR VIEW.  WHEN THE AIRCRAFT RETURNED FROM THE WEST, IT WAS ABOUT 10 TO 12 FEET AGL.  AS THE AIRCRAFT CAME AROUND THE HANGAR, A ROTOR BLADE STRUCK THE HANGAR DOOR SUPPORT, SEPARATING THE ROTOR BLADE FROM THE AIRCRAFT.  THE GYROPLANE CAME TO REST INVERTED.  THE PILOT WAS WEARING A HELMET; HOWEVER, THE STRAP DID NOT HAVE A BUCKLE.                               (-23) PILOT WAS OPERATING THE AIRCRAFT AT LOW LEVEL (BELOW 2O' AGL) AND STRUCK HANGAR DOOR RAIL STRUCTURE WITH ROTOR. THE STRIKE CAUSED INSTANTANEOUS CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OF ONE ROTOR BLADE AND THE MAST. GYROPLANE CAME TO RES T 135' FROM POINT OF INITIAL CONTACT AFTER ROLLING OVER TWICE ON THE GROUND.

## 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 FTW98LA263](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW98LA263), Jun 15, 1998: Moore B-8MJ (N4874X), Pauls Valley, OK, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The non-certificated pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the hangar. A factor was the pilot's maneuvering at a low altitude.

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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