# Accident 20130831017349A: Stuart Donald L VORTEX, Scappoose, OR, August 31, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 31, 2013, 13:58 local time
- Place: Scappoose, OR
- Airport: Scappoose Industrial Airpark
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.7650° N, 122.8636° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.7650&lon=-122.8636&mi=10
- Aircraft: N43259, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N43259-2018-02-14) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Stuart Donald L VORTEX (registry code 056182I, https://openairdocs.org/model/stuart-donald-l-vortex) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: STUART DONALD L VORTEX
- Reported engine: AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 24 total, 1 in this make and model, 9 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR13FA393](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA393) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130831017349A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 WPR13FA393](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13FA393), Aug 31, 2013: Stuart Vortex (N43259), Scappoose, OR, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The 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…

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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