20110706012089A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Van Kalker John E RAF 2000 GTX SE · Decker, IN · July 6, 2011

Date: July 6, 2011 · 10:30 local
Place: Decker, IN
Airport: Snider Field Airport
Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N25VK
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN11CA454
Reported as: Van Kalker John E RAF 2000 GTX SE
Reported engine: SUBARU ALL MDLS A/B
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 13,400 total450 in this make and model220 in the last 90 days

N25VKRegistered now · Van Kalker John E RAF 2000 GTX SES/N 251 · Built 1999 Airframe modelVan Kalker John E RAF 2000 GTX SE Engine modelSubaru ALL MDLS A/B4 cycle

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.

The flight instructor set the student pilot up on a left downwind leg for runway 15 at Snider's field about 1/8 mile out from the runway and 500 feet above the ground. At this point the instructor reduced the throttle to idle, simulating a forced landing. The student saw a large bean field to the right and started a turn to the right for a simulated emergency landing in the field. The instructor pointed out that Snider Field Airport and runway 15 was just to the left of the gyroplane. The student then turned back left towards the airport and runway. The gyroplane did reach the runway for landing but at such a high angle of attack and low energy state that the main rotor impacted the ground, aft of the gyroplane, prior to the landing gear. The gyroplane rolled to the left and crashed on its left side.

As the FAA filed it

THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR SET THE STUDENT PILOT UP ON A LEFT DOWNWIND LEG FOR RUNWAY 15 AT SNIDER'S FIELD ABOUT 1/8 MILE OUT FROM THE RUNWAY AND 500 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. AT THIS POINT THE INSTRUCTOR REDUCED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE, SIMULATING A FORCED LANDING. THE STUDENT SAW A LARGE BEAN FIELD TO THE RIGHT AND STARTED A TURN TO THE RIGHT FOR A SIMULATED EMERGENCY LANDING IN THE FIELD. THE INSTRUCTOR POINTED OUT THAT SNIDER FIELD AIRPORT AND RUNWAY 15 WAS JUST TO THE LEFT OF THE GYROPLANE. THE STUDENT THEN TURNED BACK LEFT TOWARDS THE AIRPORT AND RUNWAY. THE GYROPLANE DID REACH THE RUNWAY FOR LANDING BUT AT SUCH A HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK AND LOW ENERGY STATE THAT THE MAIN ROTOR IMPACTED THE GROUND, AFT OF THE GYROPLANE, PRIOR TO THE LANDING GEAR. THE GYROPLANE ROLLED TO THE LEFT AND CRASHED ON ITS LEFT SIDE.

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 CEN11CA454Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportDecker, INThe improper landing flare, which resulted in the gyroplane's main rotor contacting the runway surface.Jul 6, 2011 · Substantial damage