- Date
- December 15, 2018, 11:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Anahuac, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N923DJClifford E Massey AR-1
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20181215022269A
- Case key
- 98787
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 landing flare in gusting crosswind conditions.
Findings · 4
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
The pilot of the gyroplane reported that, while practicing simulated engine-out landings, the gyroplane experienced a sudden loss of lift during the flare due to "possible strong wind shear." The gyroplane then descended about 4 ft, and he attempted to recover with full power, but the gyroplane landed hard. Subsequently, the propeller struck the ground, the gyroplane bounced, and the rotor impacted the ground and sheared off. The gyroplane sustained substantial damage to the main rotor and mast. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the weather at the airport, about the time of the accident, was wind from 300° at 12 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot landed the gyroplane on runway 35.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the gyroplane reported that, while practicing simulated engine out landings, he "experienced" a sudden loss of lift during the flare due to a "possible strong wind shear". The gyroplane then dropped about 4 ft vertically, he attempted to recover with full power, but the gyroplane landed hard during. Subsequently, the propeller struck the ground, the gyroplane "bounced" left, and the rotor impacted the ground and sheared. The gyroplane sustained substantial damage to the main rotor and mast. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported the weather at the accident airport, about the time of the accident, was wind 300° at 12 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot landed the gyroplane on runway 35.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N923DJ
- Reported as
- Clifford E Massey AR-1
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 0002
- Built
- 2016
- Airframe hours
- 195
- Engine
- Rotax 912UL/S, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · April 21, 2018
- Departed
- T00 · Anahuac, TX
- Destination
- T00 · Anahuac, TX
- Airport
- T00 · Chambers County, runway 35, 1,900 × 300 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- None
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
- 63
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Sport Pilot, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Sport pilot, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 11, 2017
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 3,428 total · 161 in this make and model · 1,930 as pilot in command · 45 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Turbulence
- Moderate
- Observed at
- KEFD, 28 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 1, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 693 KB 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.