What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The houston FSDO received notice of the Tomball police departments gyrocopter being involved in an accident on 01/16/2014 at 1215.
There were no injuries and the gyrocopter was off to the east side of runway 17R.
I authorized them to move the gyrocopter to the hangar.
I arrived at the hangar on 01/22/2014 at 1000 and met with officer keith bitz, the pilot flying at the time of the accident.
His statement indicated after completing a landing and while transitioning to taxi mode on runway 17R at david wayne hooks airport, Tomball, TX. The gyrocopter was blown off the runway by a gust of wind from the right side. The gyrocopter spun onto it's right side and came to rest in the grass on the east side of runway 17R. There were two persons onboard.
The pilot was operating the gyrocopter with only his student pilot's certificate and there was another Tomball police officer onboard the gryocopter as an observer.
The main rotor struck the runway and one blade lost about six (6) feet of one blade separated from the blade. The main rotor mast was bent. The pusher prop struck the ground when the gyrocopter rolled over and damaged all three blades. The tail of the gyrocopter was destroyed
The reported winds at the time of the accident were 240 degrees at 9 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The maximun crosswind limit for the gyrocopter is stated 20 knots. The iic talked with the tower and the tower stated the highest gust recorded during the time of the accident was 19 knots.
As the FAA filed it
THE HOUSTON FSDO RECEIVED NOTICE OF THE TOMBALL POLICE DEPARTMENTS GYROCOPTER BEING INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT ON 01/16/2014 AT 1215.
THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE GYROCOPTER WAS OFF TO THE EAST SIDE OF RUNWAY 17R.
I AUTHORIZED THEM TO MOVE THE GYROCOPTER TO THE HANGAR.
I ARRIVED AT THE HANGAR ON 01/22/2014 AT 1000 AND MET WITH OFFICER KEITH BITZ, THE PILOT FLYING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
HIS STATEMENT INDICATED AFTER COMPLETING A LANDING AND WHILE TRANSITIONING TO TAXI MODE ON RUNWAY 17R AT DAVID WAYNE HOOKS AIRPORT, TOMBALL, TX. THE GYROCOPTER WAS BLOWN OFF THE RUNWAY BY A GUST OF WIND FROM THE RIGHT SIDE. THE GYROCOPTER SPUN ONTO IT'S RIGHT SIDE AND CAME TO REST IN THE GRASS ON THE EAST SIDE OF RUNWAY 17R. THERE WERE TWO PERSONS ONBOARD.
THE PILOT WAS OPERATING THE GYROCOPTER WITH ONLY HIS STUDENT PILOT'S CERTIFICATE AND THERE WAS ANOTHER TOMBALL POLICE OFFICER ONBOARD THE GRYOCOPTER AS AN OBSERVER.
THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE RUNWAY AND ONE BLADE LOST ABOUT SIX (6) FEET OF ONE BLADE SEPARATED FROM THE BLADE. THE MAIN ROTOR MAST WAS BENT. THE PUSHER PROP STRUCK THE GROUND WHEN THE GYROCOPTER ROLLED OVER AND DAMAGED ALL THREE BLADES. THE TAIL OF THE GYROCOPTER WAS DESTROYED
THE REPORTED WINDS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WERE 240 DEGREES AT 9 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 19 KNOTS. THE MAXIMUN CROSSWIND LIMIT FOR THE GYROCOPTER IS STATED 20 KNOTS. THE IIC TALKED WITH THE TOWER AND THE TOWER STATED THE HIGHEST GUST RECORDED DURING THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 19 KNOTS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.