# NTSB LAX01LA161: Taylor Bandit, N8057T, Marysville, CA, April 28, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 28, 2001, 13:41 local (20:41 UTC) - Place: Marysville, CA - Coordinates: 39.080905, -121.550605 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0809&lon=-121.5506&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious - Status: Completed, report October 24, 2002 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - Flt Standards Dist Ofc - NTSB case key (mKey): 52181 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX01LA161 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52181/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA161 ## Probable cause The pilot performed an inadequate preflight inspection resulting in a loss of engine power at a low altitude because of water contamination. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - mech failure/malf, climb - fluid,fuel - contamination,water (cause) - aircraft preflight - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - altitude - low, pilot in command (contributing factor) - Forced landing, climb - Hard landing, descent - uncontrolled - Fire, landing ## Analysis The experimental gyrocopter dropped back to the runway and caught fire following a loss of engine power during takeoff. The gyrocopter made a nose high takeoff. About 50 to 100 feet in the air, the engine sputtered and the gyrocopter fell straight back down to the runway. It burst into flames, and the pilot extricated himself from the wreckage. He fled the runway, on his own power with his clothes on fire, to a truck where medical personnel provided treatment. The gyrocopter had tapered fuel tanks that narrowed at the bottom. Fuel lines at the bottom of the tank went from the leading and trailing edge of the tank to the engine. The pilot used two plastic gas cans to fuel the gyrocopter. About 1/2 gallon of fuel remained in each can, and investigators discovered water in each can. The gas had been in the fuel cans when the pilot arrived at the airport. A third can that was full of fuel also had water in it. ## Factual narrative On April 28, 2001, at 1341 Pacific daylight time, an experimental Taylor Super Bandit gyrocopter, N8057T, dropped back to the runway and caught fire following a loss of engine power during takeoff from the Yuba County Airport, Marysville, California. The student pilot/builder was operating the gyrocopter on a personal local flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot sustained serious burn injuries, and succumbed to complications arising from these injuries about 7 months after the accident. The collision sequence and post crash fire destroyed the gyrocopter. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. Several witnesses reported they observed the gyrocopter make a nose high takeoff. About 50 to 100 feet in the air, the engine sputtered and the gyrocopter fell straight back down to the runway. It burst into flames, and the pilot extricated himself from the wreckage. He fled the runway, on his own power with his clothes on fire, to a truck where medical personnel provided treatment. An inspection of the wreckage revealed that another gyrocopter of the same make and model had tapered fuel tanks that narrowed at the bottom. Fuel lines at the bottom of the tank went from the leading and trailing edge of the tank to the engine. Friends of the pilot inspected two plastic gas cans that the pilot used to fuel the gyrocopter and noticed water in each can. They pointed this out to the investigator, who verified that water was in the plastic gas cans. The investigator estimated about 1/2 gallon of fuel remained in each can. The pilot's wife told him that the gas had been in the fuel cans when they arrived at the airport. The investigator noted water in the bottom of a third can that was full of fuel. The pilot was unable to submit a pilot/operator report. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N8057T](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8057T-2002-02-05), registration cancelled 2002-02-05, S/N 108, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: TAYLOR BANDIT - Registry model: [Taylor Troy SUPER BANDIT](https://openairdocs.org/model/taylor-troy-super-bandit) (registry code 05606EV) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Subaru ALL MDLS A/B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/subaru-all-mdls-a-b) (registry code 59050, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Gyroplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 108 - Airframe hours: 186 - Engines: Subaru reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Fire: On-Ground - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Troy P. Taylor - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: MYV, MARYSVILLE, CA - Airport: MYV, Yuba County ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 34; injuries: serious; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: single; flight hours: 186 total, 186 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: MYV ## 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 20010428008109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010428008109A), Apr 28, 2001: Amtr BANDIT, Marysville, CA, Destroyed. (-23)Gyrocopter lost power on take-off climb, due to high angle of attack pilot could not get proper auto-rotation speed and dropped from aprox. 100 ffet to… 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.