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20150809015539A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Erickson Larry D RAF 2000 GT · Dakota City, IA · August 9, 2015

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
August 9, 2015 · 18:57 local
Place
Dakota City, IA
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N315LK
NTSB investigation
NTSBCEN15LA344
Reported as
Erickson Larry D RAF 2000 GT
Reported engine
SUBARU ALL MDLS A/B
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
1
Other injuries
1
Pilot’s certificate
Sport pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
154 total100 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days
N315LKRegistration cancelled Jan 14, 2019 · Erickson Larry D RAF 2000 GTS/N 6456 · Built 2012Airframe modelErickson Larry D RAF 2000 GTEngine 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 airman departed the airport on a pleasure flight with a passenger. The route of flight in the local area was familiar to the pilot and the passenger had flown with the airman on previous flights.

The airman was reported to be about 400 to 500 feet above the ground and had been circling over the residence of the passenger in a fairly wide pattern. On the third or fourth pass the passenger reported a smooth and normal flight. The airman then uttered an expletive and the aircraft abruptly descended. The airman was, as reported by the passenger, having difficulty controlling the aircraft. The passenger reported that the aircraft continued to descend and the airman increased the throttle; however, the aircraft did not climb. The passenger also reported that the aircraft completed a 180 degree turn and then struck a tree, coming to rest on its left side next to the tree. The airman sustained fatal injuries in the accident. The passenger sustained serious injuries and the aircraft was substantially damaged.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRMAN DEPARTED THE AIRPORT ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT WITH A PASSENGER. THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT IN THE LOCAL AREA WAS FAMILIAR TO THE PILOT AND THE PASSENGER HAD FLOWN WITH THE AIRMAN ON PREVIOUS FLIGHTS.

THE AIRMAN WAS REPORTED TO BE ABOUT 400 TO 500 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND HAD BEEN CIRCLING OVER THE RESIDENCE OF THE PASSENGER IN A FAIRLY WIDE PATTERN. ON THE THIRD OR FOURTH PASS THE PASSENGER REPORTED A SMOOTH AND NORMAL FLIGHT. THE AIRMAN THEN UTTERED AN EXPLETIVE AND THE AIRCRAFT ABRUPTLY DESCENDED. THE AIRMAN WAS, AS REPORTED BY THE PASSENGER, HAVING DIFFICULTY CONTROLLING THE AIRCRAFT. THE PASSENGER REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND AND THE AIRMAN INCREASED THE THROTTLE; HOWEVER, THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT CLIMB. THE PASSENGER ALSO REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETED A 180 DEGREE TURN AND THEN STRUCK A TREE, COMING TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE NEXT TO THE TREE. THE AIRMAN SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES IN THE ACCIDENT. THE PASSENGER SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.

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 CEN15LA344Accident · 1 fatalLimited investigationFinal reportHumboldt, IAThe pilot’s loss of gyroplane control while maneuvering at low altitude.Aug 9, 2015 · Substantial damage