# NTSB FTW02LA180: Frennance Twinstar, N711FS, Bastrop, LA, June 14, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 13, 2002, 20:15 local (Jun 14, 2002, 01:15 UTC) - Place: Bastrop, LA - Coordinates: 32.364723, -91.834167 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.3647&lon=-91.8342&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious - Status: Completed, report December 6, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administartion (FSDO) - NTSB case key (mKey): 54936 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW02LA180 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54936/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54936 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA180 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain altitude for an undetermined reason, which resulted in an in-flight collision with trees. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with object, maneuvering - altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - object - tree(s) - lack of total experience in type of aircraft, pilot in command ## Analysis While returning to the airport, the gyroplane started losing altitude and impacted trees approximately 1/2 mile from the airport's only runway. The pilot reported that due to a concussion, he does not recall the events surrounding the accident. The passenger reported that he recalled that they flew over town, were en route back to the airport, and could see the airport when the gyroplane started to lose altitude. As the gyroplane neared the trees, he heard the engine noise increase. Subsequently, the gyroplane impacted trees and came to rest upright. The passenger added that as he exited the gyroplane, fuel was leaking on him. A witness heard the engine at full throttle, heard the rotor blades impact trees, and then the engine noise stopped; however, the witness did not make visual contact with the gyroplane. The pilot held an airline transport certificate, a commercial pilot certificate, and a flight instructor certificate with various airplane ratings; however, he did not hold a rotorcraft-gyroplane category and class rating. The pilot was unaware that he was required to obtain this category and class rating. At the time of the accident, the pilot had accumulated a total of 3.0 hours in gyroplanes. ## Factual narrative On June 13, 2002, at 2015 central daylight time, a Frennace Twinstar gyroplane, N711FS, was destroyed when it impacted trees while maneuvering near the Morehouse Memorial Airport, Bastrop, Louisiana. The gyroplane was registered to and operated by the pilot. The airline transport rated pilot and his non-pilot rated passenger sustained serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The local flight originated from the Morehouse Memorial Airport, at 1945. The pilot reported that he departed Bastrop for a local VFR flight. Due to a concussion, he does not recall the events surrounding the accident. The passenger reported that he recalled departing from the airport and flying over the town of Bastrop. They were en route back to Bastrop, and he could see the airport when the gyroplane started to lose altitude. As the gyroplane neared the trees, he heard the engine noise increase. Subsequently, the gyroplane impacted trees and came to a stop upright 1/2 mile west of, and abeam, the approach end of runway 34. The passenger added that as he exited the gyroplane, fuel was leaking on him. According to the pilot, the gyroplane sustained structural damage to the fuselage, rotor blades and rotor mast. According to a witness, the flight departed Morehouse Memorial Airport to the east, turned to the north, and traveled out of sight. At 2015, while talking on a mobile phone, the witness heard the engine at full throttle, heard the rotor blades impact trees, and then the engine noise stopped. The witness did not visually observe the accident. The pilot held an airline transport certificate, commercial pilot certificate, and a flight instructor certificate for airplanes; however, he did not hold a rotorcraft-gyroplane rating. The pilot was unaware that he was required to obtain this category and class rating. At the time of the accident, the pilot had accumulated a total of 9,046 hours, of which 3.0 hours were in gyroplanes. At 1953, the surface weather observation facility at the Monroe Regional Airport (KMLU), located 20 miles southwest of Morehouse, reported the following conditions: wind from 350 degrees at 9 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, a scattered cloud layer at 6,000 feet, broken cloud layers at 7,500 and 9,000 feet, temperature 28 degrees Celsius, dew point 22 degrees Celsius, altimeter 29.84 inches of Mercury, a wind shift to 010 degrees at 33 minutes past the hour, and lightning in the distant north. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N711FS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N711FS-2005-08-03), registration cancelled 2005-08-03, S/N TS-103, built 1995 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Frennance Twinstar - Registry model: [Slater Frennace E TWINSTAR](https://openairdocs.org/model/slater-frennace-e-twinstar) (registry code 05628ZT) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming 0-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (registry code 41508, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Gyroplane, amateur-built - Serial number: TS-103 - Airframe hours: 60 - Engines: Lycoming O-320-B1A 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: James M. Brown - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, April 21, 2002, 3 hours before - Departed: 2F8, Bastrop, LA - Airport: 2F8, Morehouse Memorial, runway 34, 4,000 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 35; injuries: serious; flight engineer, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review August 29, 2001; seat: front; flight hours: 9,046 total, 3 in this make and model, 1,516 as pilot in command, 52 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dusk - Wind: 270° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.82 inHg - Observed at: MLU, 17 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 20020613015059A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020613015059A), Jun 13, 2002: Amtr TWINSTAR, Bastrop, LA, No damage. (-23) The pilot has no recollection of the flight due to sustained head injuries from the accident and the passenger reported an uneventful flight until he… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 24, 2002, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54936. 486 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 379 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40445568&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Witness Statement (item 2, .PDF, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40445569&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-Redacted.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 3, .PDF, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40169410&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-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. --- 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.