# Accident 20000116000259A: Amtr DANAMITE, Smyrna, TN, January 16, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 16, 2000, 13:00 local time
- Place: Smyrna, TN
- Airport: Smyrna
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.9801° N, 86.5094° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9801&lon=-86.5094&mi=10
- Aircraft: N6407C, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6407C-2003-04-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Moore Dana A DANAMITE (registry code 0560702, https://openairdocs.org/model/moore-dana-a-danamite) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR DANAMITE
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,211 total, 1 in this make and model, 19 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA00LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA068) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000116000259A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON JANUARY 16, 2000, ABOUT 1300 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A DANA A MOORE DANAMITE, N6407C, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE OWNER, AND OEPRATED AS A 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT, HIT A FENCE DURING TAXIING OPERATIONS AT SMYRNA, TENNESSEE. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED IN THE AREA, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE GYROPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, AND THE PRIVATE-RATED PILOT WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED THE SAME DAY, ABOUT 1245. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AFTER COMPLETING HIS FIRST FLIGHT IN THE RECENTLY CONSTRUCTED GYROPLANE AND WHILE TAXIING TO PARKING, THE ROTOR HIT THE TOP OF A FENCE, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DAMAGED. (.4)THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER COMPLETING THE FIRST FLIGHT IN HIS RECENTLY CONSTRUCTED GYROPLANE THAT HE WAS TAXIING EXPEDITIOUSLY BACK TO THE HANGAR AND DID NOT TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE WET TAXIWAY, OR THE TAIL WIND. THE PILOT SAID THAT WHILE TAXIING THE GYROPLANE THE NOSE WHEEL DID NOT TURN AS HE WOULD HAVE LIKED, AND THE AIRCRAFT DRIFTED CLOSE TO A FENCE AND THE ROTOR MADE CONTACT WITH THE FENCE, DESTROYING THE AIRCRAFT. THE FAA INSPECTOR WHO CONDUCTED A POSTCRASH EXAMINATION OF THE GYROPLANE, CONFIRMED THAT THE AIRCRA                          FT WAS DESTROYED AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. (-23)AS THE PILOT WAS TAXING TO THE HANGER WITH A 10 KNOT TAIL WIND AND A HIGH TAXI SPEED, THE NOSE WHEEL OF THE GYROPLANE BEGIN TO SKID ON THE WET PAVEMENT OF THE RAMP AREA.  THE GYROPLANE DRIFTED TOWARDS A CHAIN LINK FENCE.  THE MAIN ROTOR BALDE CONTACTED THE TOP OF THE FENCE.  AT THE TIME THE ROTOR BLADE CONTACTED THE FENCE, THE FORCE OF THE BLADE IMPACT TURNED THE GYROPLANE ONTO IT'S SIDE.  WHEN THE GYROPLANE TURNED OVER ON IT'S SIDE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE BEGAN FITTING THE RAMP PAVEMENT.  THIS COULPED WITH THE ENGINE PROPELLER HITTING THE PAVEMENT CAUSED THE DESTRUCTION OF THE GYROPLANE.

## 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 MIA00LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00LA068), Jan 16, 2000: Dana A. Moore Danamite (N6407C), Smyrna, TN, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's excessive taxiing speed and failure to maintain adequate clearance from objects, resulting in the gyroplane's main rotor colliding with a fence and subsequent damage to the 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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