30.2241° N, 92.0198° WPlaced by OpenAirDocs: center of Lafayette, LA, within about 6 miles.Open in the map
Date
May 14, 2011 · 08:20 local
Place
Lafayette, LA
Airport
None
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
Ultralight vehicle (Part 103)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
NONE
Reported as
Benson Gyrocopter KB-3
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
2,100 total1,500 in this make and model4 in the last 90 days
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.
Pilot attempted takeoff from north to south from 900' grass strip behind his house. Wind was reported 340/14. Pilot said he became airborne at about 500' but did not climb high enough to clear barbed wire fence at end of runway. Wheels struck fence causing aircraft to crash.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FROM NORTH TO SOUTH FROM 900' GRASS STRIP BEHIND HIS HOUSE. WIND WAS REPORTED 340/14. PILOT SAID HE BECAME AIRBORNE AT ABOUT 500' BUT DID NOT CLIMB HIGH ENOUGH TO CLEAR BARBED WIRE FENCE AT END OF RUNWAY. WHEELS STRUCK FENCE CAUSING AIRCRAFT TO CRASH.