20090509004949A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Amtr RAF 2000 GTX · South Prairie, WA · May 9, 2009

Date: May 9, 2009 · 13:45 local
Place: South Prairie, WA
Airport: Cawleys South Prairie
Phase of flight: Takeoff
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N1435X
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR09CA232
Reported as: Amtr RAF2000GTX
Reported engine: AMTR EJ22
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 420 total350 in this make and model5 in the last 90 days

N1435XRegistration cancelled Jan 11, 2010 · Atkins John RAF 2000 GTXS/N H2-00-11-450 · Built 2000 Airframe modelAtkins John RAF 2000 GTX Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On 05/09/2009 at approximately 13:45 PDT a raf 2000 gtx gyrocopter, serial number H2-00-11-450, operated by privacy data omitted lost control after take off and impacted the ground in a pasture next to the runway. The pilot received no injuries and the passenger received minor injuries. During the interview the pilot stated that he was approximately 50 feet in air after takeoff when he heard another aircraft and saw a shadow of the aircraft on his left side. He responded and banked the gyrocopter 180 degrees to the right. The gyrocopter lost significant air speed at that time and was not able to maintain flight and impacted the ground in a field adjacent to the air strip.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 05/09/2009 AT APPROXIMATELY 13:45 PDT A RAF 2000 GTX GYROCOPTER, SERIAL NUMBER H2-00-11-450, OPERATED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ LOST CONTROL AFTER TAKE OFF AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A PASTURE NEXT TO THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT RECEIVED NO INJURIES AND THE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. DURING THE INTERVIEW THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET IN AIR AFTER TAKEOFF WHEN HE HEARD ANOTHER AIRCRAFT AND SAW A SHADOW OF THE AIRCRAFT ON HIS LEFT SIDE. HE RESPONDED AND BANKED THE GYROCOPTER 180 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT. THE GYROCOPTER LOST SIGNIFICANT AIR SPEED AT THAT TIME AND WAS NOT ABLE TO MAINTAIN FLIGHT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A FIELD ADJACENT TO THE AIR STRIP.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR09CA232Accident · Minor injuriesData collectionFinal reportSouth Prairie, WAThe pilot's abrupt maneuver to avoid a collision that resulted in an airspeed reduction and subsequent loss of lift provided by the rotor system. Contributing to the accident was the failure of both pilots to maintain an adequate visual lookout for other…May 9, 2009 · Substantial damage