# Accident 20110715018229A: Degraw Richard R RHINO 2, Napoleon, MI, July 15, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 15, 2011, 10:45 local time
- Place: Napoleon, MI
- Airport: Private Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 42.1808° N, 84.2753° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.1808&lon=-84.2753&mi=10
- Aircraft: N122DG, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N122DG) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Degraw Richard R RHINO 2 (registry code 05630B0, https://openairdocs.org/model/degraw-richard-r-rhino-2) (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: DEGRAW RICHARD R RHINO 2
- Reported engine: SUBARU ALL MDLS A/B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,248 total, 379 in this make and model, 14 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN11LA481](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA481) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110715018229A

## Narrative

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

THIS AIRCRAFT IS CLASSIFIED AS A GYROPLANE WITH VERTICAL TAKEOFF CAPIBILITIES. IT WAS DESIGNED AND BUILT BY THE PILOT'S HUSBAND AND THERE ARE ONLY 4 OTHERS LIKE IT IN THE WORLD. THIS WAS THE 3RD TAKEOFF OF THE DAY FOR THE PILOT. ON THE CLIMB OUT AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 30 FEET, THE PILOT COULD NOT MAINTAIN ENOUGH AIRSPEED TO GAIN ALITIUDE. THE NOSE STARTED TO PITCH HIGHER, THEN THE AIRCRAFT STARTED TO WOBBLE, ENTER A RIGHT YAW WITH THE NOSE PITCHING DOWN. IT THEN CONTACTED THE GROUND. THIS NARRITIVE IS WRITTEN AS RELAYED TO IIC WELKE FROM ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, THE DESIGNER, BUILDER AND HUSBAND OF THE PILOT WHO WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT FROM A DISTANCE OF 400 FEET FROM THE IMPACT SITE. AT THE TIME OF THE INVESTIGATION, WHICH WAS 1 AND 1/2 HOURS LATER, THE WIND WOULD HAVE BEEN A QUARTERING TAILWIND FOR THE DIRECTION OF TAKE OFF. THE POLICE OFFICER ARRIVED ON SCENE ABOUT 15 TO 20 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND REMEMBERED THE WIND SOCK AND THE DIRECTION BEING THE SAME AS IIC WELKE WITNESSED. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THE WIND WAS FROM THE NORTH, BUT MAY HAVE REVERSED. THE TAKEOFF DIRECTION WAS 330 DEGREESTHE NWS REPORTED THE WINDS AT 1053 LOCAL AT JACKSON, MI AS VRB@05; LANSING, MI 120 @03; ADRAIN, MI AS 110@8; HILLSDALE, MI AS 100@7.

## 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 CEN11LA481](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN11LA481), Jul 15, 2011: Degraw Rhino II (N122DG), Jackson, MI, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot did not maintain adequate airspeed during the initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.

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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