# NTSB CEN23LA397: Titanium Auto Gyro Titanium Explorer, N467TE, Falcon, CO, September 4, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: September 3, 2023, 19:45 local (Sep 4, 2023, 01:45 UTC) - Place: Falcon, CO - Coordinates: 38.936804, -104.56666 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9368&lon=-104.5667&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 193001 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN23LA397 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193001/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193001 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA397 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to establish a proper airspeed before becoming airborne, which resulted in an inability to climb out of ground effect and subsequent hard landing. Contributing to the accident was high-density altitude. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Temp/humidity/pressure: high density altitude](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome (probable cause); cases with it: [Toevs Christine F G TOEVS TITANIUM EXPLR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020/cases.md?model=05637U2), [All aircraft, 278 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031020/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: airspeed](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Toevs Christine F G TOEVS TITANIUM EXPLR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md?model=05637U2), [All aircraft, 1,681 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062010/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Toevs Christine F G TOEVS TITANIUM EXPLR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000/cases.md?model=05637U2), [All aircraft, 111 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Toevs Christine F G TOEVS TITANIUM EXPLR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=05637U2), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440); cases with it: [Toevs Christine F G TOEVS TITANIUM EXPLR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md?model=05637U2), [All aircraft, 3,365 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Toevs Christine F G TOEVS TITANIUM EXPLR, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=05637U2), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, during takeoff, the gyroplane became airborne after reaching 55 kts and was unable to climb out of ground effect. The pilot reported that he attempted a 180° turn to conduct a forced landing on the runway; however, the gyroplane descended rapidly during the turn and landed hard on the turf in the runway safety area. The gyroplane sustained substantial damage to the rotor and airframe. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated further that he should have delayed rotation until 60 to 65 kts to achieve the proper climb. Density altitude at the time of the accident was about 9,350 ft, which would have further decreased climb performance. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N467TE](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N467TE-2025-03-22), registration cancelled 2025-03-22, S/N 0046-1117, built 2017 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Titanium Auto Gyro Titanium Explorer - Registry model: [Toevs Christine F G TOEVS TITANIUM EXPLR](https://openairdocs.org/model/toevs-christine-f-g-toevs-titanium-explr) (registry code 05637EU) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 914UL](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-914ul) (registry code 55553, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Gyroplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 0046-1117 - Year built: 2017 - Airframe hours: 374.2 - Engines: Rotax 914UL 115 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Schmidt James P - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, June 12, 2023 - Airport: KFLY, Meadow Lake, runway 33, 6,001 × 60 ft, asphalt - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 62; injuries: serious; sport pilot; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 7, 2022; seat: front; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 338.3 total, 82 in this make and model, 256.3 as pilot in command, 16.3 in the last 90 days, 8.9 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 0° at 0 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 45 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Observed at: KFLY, 1 nm away - METAR: KFLY 040135Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM SCT120 22/07 A3010 RMK AO2 LTG DSNT NW T02190072= ## 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 20230903014139A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230903014139A), Sep 3, 2023: Toevs Christine F G TOEVS TITANIUM EXPLR, Peyton, CO, Substantial damage. Pilot was conducting stop and goes with a passenger onboard. On takeoff from RWY33 the aircraft did not obtain proper takeoff speed of 60-65 knots, and instead… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 28, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193001. 14.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 10.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16989714&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Pilot%20Operator%20Aicraft%20Accident%20Incident%20Report%20(004)_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 3 pages, 2 photos, 341 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16784002&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos-Rel.pdf - FAA 8083-21 rotorcraft flying handbook excerpt (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 1 photo, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16988665&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%208083-21%20Rotorcraft%20Flying%20Handbook%20Excerpt-Rel.pdf - FAA P-8740-02 (item 4, PDF, 8 pages, 951 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16988707&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20P-8740-02%20Density%20Altitude-Rel.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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.