# Accident 20010421010019A: Amtr BENSENB8*, Troy, AL, April 21, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 21, 2001, 19:00 local time - Place: Troy, AL - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Go Round (Aborted VFR) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 31.7599° N, 85.9991° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.7599&lon=-85.9991&mi=10 - Aircraft: N218DH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N218DH-2017-06-14) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Holmes David G BENSEN GYROCOPTER (registry code 05610EF, https://openairdocs.org/model/holmes-david-g-bensen-gyrocopter) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Subaru ALL MDLS A/B (registry code 59050, https://openairdocs.org/engine/subaru-all-mdls-a-b) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AMTR BENSENB8* - Reported engine: AMTR EA81 - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 5,000 total, 250 in this make and model, 90 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA01LA134](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA134) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010421010019A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19)ON APRIL 21, 2001, ABOUT 1900 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BENSEN GYROCOPTER, N218DH, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, ROLLED OVER AFTER TOUCHDOWN ON A GOLF FAIRWAY AT THE TROY COUNTY CLUB, TROY, ALABAMA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE GYROCOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT-RATED PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED ABOUT 10 MINUTES EARLIER FROM THE BRUNDIDGE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, BRUNDIDGE, ALABAMA. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE PERFORMED A POWER-OFF APPROACH TO THE 10TH FAIRWAY BUT JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND WHEN HE ADDED POWER; THIS RESULTED IN AN INCREASE TO THE VERTICAL SINK RATE BUT HE DID NOT BELIEVE THE GYROCOPTER BOUNCED. THE GYROCOPTER TOUCHDED DOWN ON THE FAIRWAY ABOUT 5-10 MILES PER HOUR AND ROLLED AN ESTIMATED 5 FEET BEFORE ROLLING OVER. A POSTCRASH FIRE DAMAGED ONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES, THE MAIN ROTOR PITCH CHANGE ASSEMBLY, AND THE CARBURETOR. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO FLIGHT CONTROL PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION AND HE BELIEVES THE ENGINE QUIT DURING THE APPROACH; HE SUSPECTS IT QUIT DUE TO "FLOODING" AS IT HAD HAPPENED BEFORE. A WITNESS WHO WAS LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 100-150 YARDS FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED THAT THE PILOT PERFORMED A FLY-BY. THE GYROCOPTER APPROACHED THE FAIRWAY SIMILAR TO AN AIRPLANE AND HE FELT THE PILOT, "NEVER HAD THE LANDING UNDER CONTROL." THE GYROCOPTER ROLLED TO THE LEFT; THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE DID NOT TOUCH THE GROUND DURING THIS ROLL. THE GYROCOPTER THEN ROLLED TO THE RIGHT AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE CONTACTED THE GROUND. THE GYROCOPTER THEN ROLLED TO THE RIGHT AND A POSTCRASH FIRE STARTED ABOUT 10-15 SECONDS LATER. (-23) PILOT STATED PERFORMED A POWER OFF LANDING ON THE TROY COUNTRY CLUB GOLF COURSE. THE GYROCOPTER WOBBLED SOME (POSSIBLY HAD ONE WHEEL IN A POP-UP SPRINKLER HEAD). HE WAS UNABLE TO STABILIZE THE CRAFT. ONE ROTOR BLADE STRUCK THE GROUND WHICH ALLOWED THE CRAFT TO ROLL. THE POST ACCIDENT FIRE MELTED THE ALUMINUM MAST. (.4) ON APRIL 21, 2001, ABOUT 1900 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BENSEN GYROCOPTER, N218DH, REGISTERED TO A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, LANDED HARD, BOUNCED THEN ROLLED OVER AFTER TOUCHDOWN ON A GOLF FAIRWAY AT THE TROY COUNTY CLUB, TROY, ALABAMA. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT. THE GYROCOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT-RATED PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS NOT INJURED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED ABOUT 10 MINUTES EARLIER FROM THE BRUNDIDGE MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, BRUNDIDGE, ALABAMA. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE PERFORMED A POWER-OFF APPROACH TO THE 10TH FAIRWAY, BUT JUST BEFORE TOUCHDOWN HE ELECTED TO FLY CLOSER TO THE CLUB HOUSE AND PITCHED THE NOSE UP THEN ADDED POWER, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. A HIGH SINK RATE DEVELOPED RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING. THE GYROCOPTER THEN BEGAN TO WOBBLE, RESULTING IN MAIN ROTOR BLADE CONTACT WITH THE GRASS FAIRWAY. THE GYROCOPTER THEN ROLLED OVER AND A POSTCRASH FIRE DAMAGED ONE OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES, THE MAIN ROTOR PITCH CHANGE ASSEMBLY, AND THE CARBURETOR. HE FURTHER STATED THAT THERE WAS NO FLIGHT CONTROL PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION AND HE BELIEVES THE ENGINE QUIT DURING THE APPROACH DUE TO "FLOODING", AS IT HAD HAPPENED BEFORE. HE ALSO STATED THAT HE SHOULD HAVE ADDED POWER BEFORE PITCHING UP TO AIR TAXI. ## 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 MIA01LA134](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01LA134), Apr 22, 2001: David G. Holmes Bensen Gyrocopter (N218DH), Troy, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed during the approach resulting in a hard landing. A contributing factor in the accident was the loss of engine power during final approach due to… 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.