# Accident 20110514009169A: Benson Gyrocopter KB-3, Lafayette, LA, May 14, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 14, 2011, 08:20 local time
- Place: Lafayette, LA
- Airport: None
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: Ultralight vehicle (Part 103)
- Location: 30.2241° N, 92.0198° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Lafayette, LA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.2241&lon=-92.0198&mi=10
- Aircraft: NONE (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BENSON GYROCOPTER KB-3
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,100 total, 1,500 in this make and model, 4 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110514009169A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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.

---
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.
