- Date
- July 13, 1989, 19:45 local (Jul 14, 1989, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Wharton, TX
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7037KLowe/Bensen KB-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 5, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890713022369A
- Case key
- 22720
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
Poor judgement by the student pilot by performing excessive/low altitude maneuvers, which resulted in his failure to maintain sufficient clearance (altitude) above the open field. His lack of familiarity with the aircraft was a contributing factor.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The plt of N7037K was in a flt of 2 gyroplanes, flying in-trail of the other acft. When last seen by the lead plt, N7037K was behind, making a diving maneuver toward the ground. The lead plt stated that thru-out their flt, the plt of the adcnt acft had been flying at altitudes ranging fm 1000' AGL to 50' AGL, making steep turns in close proximity to trees & terrain. The lead plt did not see N7037K crash, but found it later, in the vicinity of where he last saw it. N7037K was extensively damage; there was little forward movement of the gyroplane after impact. No preimpact mechanical failure was found. There were no known witnesses to the acdnt. The plt of N7037K held only a student plt certificate.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7037K
- Reported as
- Lowe/Bensen KB-2
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 6654
- Airframe hours
- 16
- Engine
- Mcculloch AFO-0100-3, 40 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- David L. Lowe
- Registered owner
- Lowe, David L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 10, 1989 · 16 hours before
- Departed
- 5R5 · Wharton, TX
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
- 35
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 16 total · 16 in this make and model · 16 as pilot in command · 10 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 145° at 13 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 63 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.