# Accident 20000813043629A: Amtr BENSONGE3, Macedon, NY, August 13, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 13, 2000, 10:30 local time
- Place: Macedon, NY
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 43.0648° N, 77.3003° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Macedon, NY, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.0648&lon=-77.3003&mi=10
- Aircraft: NONE (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AMTR BENSONGE3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000813043629A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 2000, AT 1030 EDT, A BENSON GYROCOPTER, MODEL GE-3, CRASHED AFTER TAKE-OFF FROM 1342 EDDY ROAD, MACEDON (WAYNE COUNTY), NY, DUE TO THE ROTOR BLADE COMING OFF IN FLIGHT. THE GYROCOPTER WAS PILOTED BY MR. GREG K. GERACE WHO DOESN'T HOLD A PILOT CERTIFICATE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT REGISTERED AND DID NOT HAVE A SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED MINOR DAMAGE, AND WAS RETURNED TO THE OWNER'S HOME AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES AND WAS TAKENT TO STRONG MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.                                                                       (-23 AMENDMENT) ON SUNDAY AUGUST 13, 2000, AT 1030 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN UNREGISTERED HOMEBUILT GYROCOPTER, BENSEN GE-3, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AFTER TAKE-OFF FROM A PRIVATE AIR STRIP IN MACEDON, NEW YORK. THE NON-CERTIFICATED PILOT/OWNER WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED, AND NO IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THIS INSPECTOR INTERVIEWED THE PILOT ON AUGUST 29, 2000, AND THE PILO                     T STATED THAT HE HAD JUST PURCHASED THE GYROCOPTER, AND THERE WERE NO LOGBOOKS. THE PILOT WAS UNAWARE THAT HE NEEDED TO REGISTER THE AIRCRAFT OR HOLD A CERTIFICATE TO OPERATE IT. HE FLEW THE GYROCOPTER THE PREVIOUS DAY AND MADE SOME MECHANICAL ADJUSTMENTS AFTER THE FLIGHT. THE NEXT DAY HE DEPARTED WITH A CROSSWIND AND GOT TO ABOUT 30 FEET IN ALTITUDE WHEN HE LOST LIFT. HE TRIED TO LAND IN A CLEARING BUT ONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK A HAY WAGON ON THE DESCENT AND THE GYROCOPTER ROLLED OVER UPON LANDING. ACCORDING TO THE DATA PLATE, THE GYROCOPTER WAS BUILT IN 1985. A SPECIAL AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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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