# Accident 19990418003689A: Amtr RAF2000GTXSE, Palmer, AK, April 18, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 18, 1999, 12:30 local time - Place: Palmer, AK - Airport: Palmer Municipal Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 61.6196° N, 148.9793° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.6196&lon=-148.9793&mi=10 - Aircraft: N95WE, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N95WE-2001-05-08) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Elam William R RAF 2000-GTX (registry code 05628SQ, https://openairdocs.org/model/elam-william-r-raf-2000-gtx) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR RAF2000GTXSE - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 182 total, 14 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC99LA048](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA048) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990418003689A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. EXPERIMENTAL RAF-2000-GTX GYROCOPTER LOST LIFT ON TAKE-OFF AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON APRIL 18, 1999, ABOUT 1230 ALASKA DAYLIGHT TIME, A WHEEL EQUIPPED, EXPERIMENTAL/HOMEBUILT RAF 2000-GTX GYROPLANE, N95WE, SUSTAINED SUBSTANITAL DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE PALMER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, PALMER, ALASKA. THE GYROPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED AS A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES (VFR) LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE SOLO PRIVATE PILOT/OWNER WAS NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT THE PALMER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, ABOUT 1220. DURING A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD INVESTIGATOR-IN-CHARGE ON APRIL 20, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS DEPARTING ON RUNWAY 15. HE SAID THAT AS THE GYROPLANE CLIMBED TO ABOUT 400 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY, STRONG WINDS WERE ENCOUNTERED FROM OUT OF THE SOUTHEAST. THE PILOT STATED: "I JUST COULD NOT KEEP IT FROM SINKING, AND I HAD TO PUT IT DOWN." THE PILOT SAID THAT DURING A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD THE GYROPLANE LANDED HARD, AND THE FUSELAGE AND MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT HOLDS A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH A SINGLE-ENGINE LAND RATING, AND DID NOT HOLD A ROTORCRAFT-GYROPLANE RATING. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID OBTAIN AN INSTRUCTOR'S LOGBOOK ENDORSEMENT FOR SOLO FLIGHT IN GYROPLANES. THE CLOSEST OFFICIAL WEATHER OBSERVATION STATION IS LOCATED AT THE PALMER MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. ON APRIL 18, AT 1153, AN AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORT (METAR) WAS REPORTING, IN PART: WIND, 170 DEGREES (TRUE) AT 7 KNOTS; VISIBILITY, 10 STATUTE MILES; CLOUDS, CLEAR; TEMPERATURE, 55 DEGREES F; DEW POINT, 35 DEGREES F; ALTIMETER, 29.85 INHG. (.4) THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS DEPARTING ON RUNWAY 15 IN A GYROPLANE. HE SAID THAT AS THE GYROPLANE CLIMBED TO ABOUT 400 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY, STRONG WINDS WERE ENCOUNTERED FROM THE SOUTHEAST. THE PILOT STATED: 'I JUST COULD NOT KEEP IT FROM SINKING, AND I HAD TO PUT IT DOWN.' THE PILOT SAID THAT DURING A FORCED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD THE GYROPLANE LANDED HARD, AND THE FUSELAGE AND MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT HOLDS A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH A SINGLE-ENGINE LAND RATING, AND DID NOT HOLD A ROTORCRAFT-GYROPLANE RATING. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID OBTAIN AN INSTRUCTOR'S LOGBOOK ENDORSEMENT FOR SOLO FLIGHT IN GYROPLANES. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER THE ACCIDENT A BENT AND FRACTURED CYCLIC CONTROL TUBE WAS FOUND LYING NEXT TO THE GYROPLANE WRECKAGE. THE CYCLIC CONTROL TUBE WAS SENT TO THE NTSB'S MATERIALS LABORATORY FOR EXAMINATION. A SAFETY BOARD METALLURGIST REPORTED THAT THE FRACTURE SURFACES EXHIBITED FEATURES CONSISTENT WITH AN OVERSTRESS SEPARATION. HE ADDED THAT THE FRACTURE FACE WAS CONSISTENT WITH THE DIRECTION OF THE TUBE BENDING. THE CLOSEST OFFICIAL WEATHER OBSERVATION STATION IS PALMER. ON APRIL 18, AT 1153, AN AVIATION ROUTINE WEATHER REPORT (METAR) WAS REPORTING, IN PART: WIND, 170 DEGREES AT 7 KNOTS. (-23) THE PILOT DEPARTED RUNWAY 15 IN THE AMATEUR BUILT GYRO-COPTER ON APRIL 18, 1999 APPROX. 12:30 ADT. HE CLIMBED TO ABOUT 400 AGL AND ENCOUNTERED STRONG WINDS AND TURBULENCE FROM THE SOUTH EAST. THE PILOT HAD STATED THAT HE COULD NOT KEEP THE AC FROM SINKING AND HAD TO DO AN OFF FIELD LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD AND THE FUSELAGE, LANDING GEAR AND MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. ## 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 ANC99LA048](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC99LA048), Apr 18, 1999: Elam RAF 2000-GTX (N95WE), Palmer, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions. A factor associated with the accident was a downdraft. 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.