# NTSB CEN14LA056: Pearson Jon M Dragonfly, N975DF, Anahuac, TX, November 16, 2013

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: November 16, 2013, 13:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place: Anahuac, TX
- Coordinates: 29.759445, -94.666664
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.7594&lon=-94.6667&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Maneuvering: Aircraft structural failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report September 29, 2014
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Central Region
- NTSB case key (mKey): 88434
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN14LA056
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/88434/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88434
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA056

## Probable cause

The incorrect installation by the pilot, who was not a certificated mechanic or repairman, of the main rotor head bearing block, which resulted in the in-flight separation of the rotor head.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Main rotor system: main rotor head system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046220): Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor · Incorrect service/maintenance (probable cause); cases with it: [Pearson Jon M DRAGONFLY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046220/cases.md?model=056278C), [All aircraft, 10 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046220/cases.md)
- [Maintenance: installation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Pearson Jon M DRAGONFLY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/cases.md?model=056278C), [All aircraft, 371 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02062035/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Maneuvering: Aircraft structural failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337) (defining event); cases with it: [Pearson Jon M DRAGONFLY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337/sequence.md?model=056278C), [All aircraft, 290 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/337/sequence.md)
- [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Pearson Jon M DRAGONFLY, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=056278C), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The gyroplane was in the airport traffic pattern when witnesses saw the main rotor head separate in flight and the gyroplane subsequently impact terrain. The pilot's friends and the mechanic who performed the last conditional inspection reported that the pilot/owner performed most of the maintenance on the gyroplane and that he had recently installed the main rotor head bearing block. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the bearing block had been installed upside down and was being held in place solely by friction. The pilot was not a Federal Aviation Administration-certificated mechanic or repairman.

## Factual narrative

On November 16, 2013, about 1315 central standard time, a Pearson Dragonfly, an amateur-built gyroplane, N975DF, impacted terrain near the Chambers County Airport (T00), in Anahuac, Texas. The pilot, the sole occupant on board, was fatally injured, and the gyroplane was destroyed. The gyroplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from Anahuac about 1300.The following is based on the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector's report: The gyroplane was in the airport traffic pattern. Witnesses saw the main rotor head separate in flight and the gyroplane impacted terrain about 1 mile southwest of T00. According to friends of the pilot and the mechanic who performed the last conditional inspection, the pilot-owner performed the majority of the maintenance on the gyroplane, and he had recently installed a main rotor head bearing block. Examination of the wreckage revealed the bearing block had been installed upside down. The mechanic said the bearing block was being held in place solely by friction. The pilot was not an FAA-certificated mechanic nor was he a certificated repairman. An autopsy performed on the pilot disclosed the cause of death to be "blunt force injuries."

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N975DF](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N975DF-2018-03-15), registration cancelled 2018-03-15, S/N 001, built 2009 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PEARSON JON M DRAGONFLY (NO SERIES)
- Registry model: [Pearson Jon M DRAGONFLY](https://openairdocs.org/model/pearson-jon-m-dragonfly) (registry code 056278C) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG](https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (registry code 99999) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: 001
- Year built: 2009
- Engines: AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG 63 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Weir Steven Wayne
- Registered owner: Weir Steven Wayne
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, August 17, 2013
- Departed: T00, Anahuac, TX
- Destination: T00, Anahuac, TX
- Airport: T00, Chambers County, runway 30, 3,005 × 60 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 59; injuries: fatal; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3; last flight review March 5, 2012; seat: single; toxicology performed; flight hours: 835 total, 738 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 170° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 1,400 ft broken
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observed at: KEFD, 31 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20131116022349A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131116022349A), Nov 16, 2013: Pearson Jon M DRAGONFLY, Anahuac, TX, Destroyed, 1 fatal. On November 16, 2013 around 1315 CST, an experimental amateur-built gyroplane, N975DF, impacted the ground just south of Chambers County Airport (T00), in…

## Docket (12 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 17, 2014, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=88434. 2.1 MB in all.

- FAA Form 8020-23, FAA Accident Report (item 1, .PDF, 933 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40406124&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=FAA%20Form%208020-23,%20FAA%20Accident%20Report-Redacted.PDF
- Witness Statements (item 2, .PDF, 234 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40406122&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statements-Redacted.PDF
- Mechanic's Statement (item 3, .PDF, 70 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40406114&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Mechanic%27s%20Statement-Redacted.PDF
- Google aerial photograph of accident site (item 4, .PDF, 193 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40406126&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Google%20aerial%20photograph%20of%20accident%20site-Master.PDF
- Toxicology Report, Steven W Weir (item 5, .PDF, 51 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40408136&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicology%20Report,%20Steven%20W%20Weir-Redacted.PDF
- Photo 1 - Wreckage of N975DF (item 6, .PDF, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40406615&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%20-%20Wreckage%20of%20N975DF-Master.PDF
- Photo 2 - Main rotor head and blades (item 7, .PDF, 130 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40406616&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%20-%20Main%20rotor%20head%20and%20blades-Master.PDF
- Photo 3 - Top view of main rotor head and bearing block (item 8, .PDF, 76 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40406617&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%203%20-%20Top%20view%20of%20main%20rotor%20head%20and%20bearing%20block-Master.PDF
- Photo 4 - Bottom view of main rotor head and sheared rotor shaft (item 9, .PDF, 83 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40406619&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%204%20-%20Bottom%20view%20of%20main%20rotor%20head%20and%20sheared%20rotor%20shaft-Master.PDF
- Photo 5 - Main rotor bearing block, exploded view (item 10, .PDF, 105 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40406620&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%205%20-%20Main%20rotor%20bearing%20block,%20exploded%20view-Master.PDF
- Photo 6 - Main rotor bearing block, assembled (item 11, .PDF, 91 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40406621&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%206%20-%20Main%20rotor%20bearing%20block,%20assembled-Master.PDF
- Photo 7 - Side view of main rotor shaft with retaining nut in place (item 12, .PDF, 82 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40406622&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%207%20-%20Side%20view%20of%20main%20rotor%20shaft%20with%20retaining%20nut%20in%20place-Master.PDF

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.

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