What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft reportedly came apart in the air before crashing. (.19) on November 28, 1998, at 1500 central standard time, a blanton raf 2000 experimental amateur built gyroplane, N14GR, was destroyed following a loss of control while maneuvering near the colony, Texas. The pilot, who was the registered owner and operator, sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the title 14 CFR part 91 personal flight. The flight originated from the Caddo Mills Municipal Airport, Caddo Mills, Texas, at 1430. Two gyroplane pilots reported that the pilot planned to fly the gyroplane to the propwash airport, located near fort worth, Texas. The three gyroplanes departed the airport and the pilot's stated that they kept each other in sight for the first 30 miles of the flight. Both pilots reported that the last time they observed the accident gyroplane it was flying along the northern perimeter of lake lavon in a southwesterly direction. Both pilots stated that the wind was blowing from the "south at 20 knots and was gusty." One pilot added that he encountered a gust which he estimates was approximately "50 knots". A witness, who is approximately seven years of age, stated that she was playing outside when she heard the aircraft. She observed the gyroplane flying from north to south over hackberry road, the colony, Texas. She stated that "pieces of the aircraft and smoke were coming from the aircraft." The gryroplane was found in a field, 800 feet south of hackberry road. A post-impact fire consumed the gyroplane.(-23) gyrocopter appears to have broken up in flight. Possible main rotor blade failure. The blade struck tail fin and scattered pieces over a wide area before striking the ground.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT REPORTEDLY CAME APART IN THE AIR BEFORE CRASHING. (.19) ON NOVEMBER 28, 1998, AT 1500 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A BLANTON RAF 2000 EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT GYROPLANE, N14GR, WAS DESTROYED FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE MANEUVERING NEAR THE COLONY, TEXAS. THE PILOT, WHO WAS THE REGISTERED OWNER AND OPERATOR, SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE CADDO MILLS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, CADDO MILLS, TEXAS, AT 1430. TWO GYROPLANE PILOTS REPORTED THAT THE PILOT PLANNED TO FLY THE GYROPLANE TO THE PROPWASH AIRPORT, LOCATED NEAR FORT WORTH, TEXAS. THE THREE GYROPLANES DEPARTED THE AIRPORT AND THE PILOT'S STATED THAT THEY KEPT EACH OTHER IN SIGHT FOR THE FIRST 30 MILES OF THE FLIGHT. BOTH PILOTS REPORTED THAT THE LAST TIME THEY OBSERVED THE ACCIDENT GYROPLANE IT WAS FLYING ALONG THE NORTHERN PERIMETER OF LAKE LAVON IN A SOUTHWESTERLY DIRECTION. BOTH PILOTS STATED THAT THE WIND WAS BLOWING FROM THE "SOUTH AT 20 KNOTS AND WAS GUSTY." ONE PILOT ADDED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED A GUST WHICH HE ESTIMATES WAS APPROXIMATELY "50 KNOTS". A WITNESS, WHO IS APPROXIMATELY SEVEN YEARS OF AGE, STATED THAT SHE WAS PLAYING OUTSIDE WHEN SHE HEARD THE AIRCRAFT. SHE OBSERVED THE GYROPLANE FLYING FROM NORTH TO SOUTH OVER HACKBERRY ROAD, THE COLONY, TEXAS. SHE STATED THAT "PIECES OF THE AIRCRAFT AND SMOKE WERE COMING FROM THE AIRCRAFT." THE GRYROPLANE WAS FOUND IN A FIELD, 800 FEET SOUTH OF HACKBERRY ROAD. A POST-IMPACT FIRE CONSUMED THE GYROPLANE.(-23) GYROCOPTER APPEARS TO HAVE BROKEN UP IN FLIGHT. POSSIBLE MAIN ROTOR BLADE FAILURE. THE BLADE STRUCK TAIL FIN AND SCATTERED PIECES OVER A WIDE AREA BEFORE STRIKING THE GROUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.