- Date
- August 15, 2026, 09:00 local (14:00 UTC)
- Place
- Waelder, TX
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N91JLRotor Effects M24 Plus
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Runway excursion
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 1, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20260815011439A
- Case key
- 203652
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper execution of rejected takeoff procedures, which resulted in loss of control and subsequent runway excursion.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During the takeoff roll from the 600 ft grass airstrip, the gyroplane hit a large bump which caused the glove box to open, and its contents fall into the cockpit. He believed there was enough runway remaining and attempted to reject the takeoff. During the rejected takeoff, the pilot inadvertently applied the throttle handle instead of the handbrake. The gyroplane continued off the end of the runway and into a pond, which resulted in substantial damage to the empennage and a main rotor blade. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N91JL
- Reported as
- Rotor Effects M24 Plus
- Category
- Gyroplane
- Serial number
- 24256046
- Built
- 2025
- Airframe hours
- 43
- Engine
- Rotax 915iS, 141 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jeff Locke
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Destination
- T20 · Gonzales, TX
- Airport
- PVT · Private, runway NA, 600 × 30 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Military, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 4, 2026
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 19,835 total · 43.3 in this make and model · 12,670 as pilot in command · 81 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 8 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 81 °F
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 1, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.3 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.