# Incident 20200705008079I: Ekstrom Dave TWINSTARR, Greencastle, IN, July 5, 2020

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 5, 2020, 12:35 local time
- Place: Greencastle, IN
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.6418° N, 86.8463° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Greencastle, IN, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6418&lon=-86.8463&mi=10
- Aircraft: N72DE, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N72DE) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Ekstrom Dave TWINSTARR (registry code 13015DF, https://openairdocs.org/model/ekstrom-dave-twinstarr) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EKSTROM DAVE TWINSTARR
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 4,000 total, 600 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200705008079I

## Narrative

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

ON JULY 5, 2020, AT APPROXIMATELY 12:35 EDT, N72DE, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT GYROCOPTER, EXPERIENCED AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING APPROXIMATELY 1/8 OF A MILE NORTH OF THE PUTNAM COUNTY AIRPORT (KGPC). THE AIRCRAFT WAS PILOTED BY THE REGISTERED OWNER, OPERATING UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL FLIGHT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED.

AT THE TIME OF THIS EVENT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING A FLIGHT TRAINING OPERATION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE PRACTICING TAKE OFFS AND LANDINGS DOWN THE RUNWAY. FOLLOWING THE THIRD TAKE OFF THEY PROCEEDED TO CLIMB OUT TO ENTER THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. AT APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET AGL THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT ENSURED THE THROTTLE WAS AT FULL POWER; A QUICK SCAN OF THE ENGINE INSTRUMENTS INDICATED NO ABNORMALITIES. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOSING ALTITUDE. THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN A CORN FIELD NORTH OF THE RUNWAY. NEITHER THE PILOT NOR PASSENGER SUFFERED ANY INJURIES.

DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS LIMITED TO THE LANDING GEAR AND LANDING GEAR ATTACHMENT POINTS.

AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE AND ASSOCIATED CONTROLS REVEALED NO ABNORMALITIES. THE FUEL TANK WAS ¾ FULL. FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE CARBURETOR. THE ENGINE AIR FILTER WAS CLEAR OF ANY OBSTRUCTIONS. THE CARBURETOR INLET WAS CLEAR. THE ENGINE HAD NORMAL CYLINDER COMPRESSION. THE MAGNETOS APPEARED TO OPERATE NORMALLY.

THE TEMPERATURE/DEW POINT AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT WAS CONDUCIVE TO MODERATE CARBURETOR ICING. AN INTERVIEW WITH PILOT REVEALED THAT HE DID NOT APPLY CARBURETOR HEAT WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT THINK CARBURETOR ICING COULD OCCUR AT HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES AND FULL THROTTLE SETTINGS.

AT THIS TIME IT IS SUSPECTED THAT THE ENGINE SUFFERED FROM CARBURETOR ICING. ONCE THE LANDING GEAR IS REPAIRED, PRIOR TO FLIGHT, THE ENGINE WILL BE TESTED TO VALIDATE THIS SUPPOSITION. IF NEEDED THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED AT A LATER DATE.

## Other reports on N72DE (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 19980825021859A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980825021859A), Aug 25, 1998: Amtr TWINSTAR (N72DE), Paducah, KY, Substantial damage. Acft crashed on landing under unknown circumstances. (-23) on August 25, 1998, at approximately 1600 CDT, an experimental-amateur built, twin-star gyroplane,…

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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