# Accident 20030510015309A: Amtr RAF2000GTX, Punta Gorda, FL, May 10, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 10, 2003, 09:45 local time
- Place: Punta Gorda, FL
- Airport: Charlotte County
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 26.9200° N, 81.9906° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.9200&lon=-81.9906&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9DQ, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9DQ-2017-06-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Brown Michael Allen RAF 2000 GTX (registry code 05607I6, https://openairdocs.org/model/brown-michael-allen-raf-2000-gtx) (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 RAF2000GTX
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 350 total, 120 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA03CA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03CA107) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030510015309A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON MAY 10, 2003, AT 9:45 LOCAL TIME, A RAF 2000GTX, N9DQ, REGISTERED TO MICHAEL A. BROWN, WAS TAKING OFF ON RUNWAY 9 AT PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA (PGD). DURING TAKE OFF THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES PER HOUR AIRSPEED AND APPROXIMATELY 200 RPM FOR THE ROTOR WHEN HE STATED HE ENCOUNTERED BLADE FLAP. THE PILOT STATED BLADE FLAP WAS WHAT HAPPENS IN A GYROCOPTER WHEN THE ROTOR SPEED IS TOO SLOW FOR THE AIRSPEED INDICATED. THE PILOT STATED HE HEARD A CLUNK. THE PILOT STATED HE REDUCED THE POWER THEN AND LOWERED THE BLADES AND ROLLED TO A STOP. THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING WAS WRONG UNTIL HE GOT OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND SAW THE ROTOR BLADES AND TOWER WERE BENT OVER. THE PILOT STATED THE WIND SOCK WAS POINTING DOWN RUNWAY 15, BUT HE ELECTED TO DEPART ON 9 SO HE WOULD NOT INTERFERE WITH THE AIRCRAFT IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE WINDS WERE 140 @ 05 KNOTS. THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK RUNWAY 9, 10 TIMES AT APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET INTERVALS. THE AIRCRAFT THEN PROCEEDED ANOTHER 615 FEET WHERE IT STOPPED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED HE MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY PERFORMED A MANEUVER THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS ACCIDENT.

## 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 MIA03CA107](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA03CA107), May 10, 2003: Michael Allen Brown RAF 2000 GTX (N9DQ), Punta Gorda, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain rotor speed during the takeoff which resulted in the gyrocopter descending and the main rotor impacting the ground, incurring damage.

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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