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20130831017349A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Stuart Donald L VORTEX · Scappoose, OR · August 31, 2013

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 31, 2013 · 13:58 local
Place
Scappoose, OR
Airport
Scappoose Industrial Airpark
Phase of flight
Landing: Approach
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N43259
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR13FA393
Reported as
Stuart Donald L Vortex
Reported engine
Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG
People aboard
1
Fatal injuries
1
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Student
Pilot’s flight hours
24 total1 in this make and model9 in the last 90 days
N43259Registration cancelled Feb 14, 2018 · Stuart Donald L VORTEXS/N 058Airframe modelStuart Donald L VORTEXEngine 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.

Pilot had no solo time or solo flight endorsements in any aircraft. All times listed are dual flight instruction hours from his logbook. Student certificate # privacy data omitted with 3rd class medical issued 10/26/2012.

1.1 Hours dual instruction in same make / model (sportcopter Vortex ii) on 8/20/13 is only time pilot has logged in this model of gyroplane, a sportcopter Vortex amateur built kit.

Pilot was observed on taxiway parallel to rwy 33 at spb just before accident in process of take off to north for first solo flight. Pilot attempted to land before end of taxiway, but video shows he appeared to lose lateral control of aircraft on power reduction and elected to go around on left downwind for rwy 33. Eyewitnesses observed him flying downwind at slow airspeed and nose high attitude. One witness observed a sudden change in rotor appearance and reported aircraft began to tumble straight down at a point that would have been a left base for rwy 33. Several witnesses also saw the aircrft fall straight down behind tall trees and also reported hearing a loud "bang" as well.

First responders found pilot in wreckage, and aircraft had burst into flames on impact. Pilot was removed from wreckage before fire completely destroyed the aircraft. Only the rotor blades and some portions of the tail surfaces remained intact after fire.

Pilot found deceased by police first responders when they arrived minutes after accident occured.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT HAD NO SOLO TIME OR SOLO FLIGHT ENDORSEMENTS IN ANY AIRCRAFT. ALL TIMES LISTED ARE DUAL FLIGHT INSTRUCTION HOURS FROM HIS LOGBOOK. STUDENT CERTIFICATE # ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ WITH 3RD CLASS MEDICAL ISSUED 10/26/2012.

1.1 HOURS DUAL INSTRUCTION IN SAME MAKE / MODEL (SPORTCOPTER VORTEX II) ON 8/20/13 IS ONLY TIME PILOT HAS LOGGED IN THIS MODEL OF GYROPLANE, A SPORTCOPTER VORTEX AMATEUR BUILT KIT.

PILOT WAS OBSERVED ON TAXIWAY PARALLEL TO RWY 33 AT SPB JUST BEFORE ACCIDENT IN PROCESS OF TAKE OFF TO NORTH FOR FIRST SOLO FLIGHT. PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND BEFORE END OF TAXIWAY, BUT VIDEO SHOWS HE APPEARED TO LOSE LATERAL CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT ON POWER REDUCTION AND ELECTED TO GO AROUND ON LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RWY 33. EYEWITNESSES OBSERVED HIM FLYING DOWNWIND AT SLOW AIRSPEED AND NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. ONE WITNESS OBSERVED A SUDDEN CHANGE IN ROTOR APPEARANCE AND REPORTED AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO TUMBLE STRAIGHT DOWN AT A POINT THAT WOULD HAVE BEEN A LEFT BASE FOR RWY 33. SEVERAL WITNESSES ALSO SAW THE AIRCRFT FALL STRAIGHT DOWN BEHIND TALL TREES AND ALSO REPORTED HEARING A LOUD "BANG" AS WELL.

FIRST RESPONDERS FOUND PILOT IN WRECKAGE, AND AIRCRAFT HAD BURST INTO FLAMES ON IMPACT. PILOT WAS REMOVED FROM WRECKAGE BEFORE FIRE COMPLETELY DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT. ONLY THE ROTOR BLADES AND SOME PORTIONS OF THE TAIL SURFACES REMAINED INTACT AFTER FIRE.

PILOT FOUND DECEASED BY POLICE FIRST RESPONDERS WHEN THEY ARRIVED MINUTES AFTER ACCIDENT OCCURED.

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 WPR13FA393Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportScappoose, ORThe student pilot's unintentional takeoff followed by his failure to maintain control of the gyroplane during the landing approach. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot’s lack of both flight training and flight experience and his lack of a solo…Aug 31, 2013 · Destroyed