- Date
- April 18, 1998, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Hollister, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N313EPPorat RAF-200
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report February 15, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980418013629A
- Case key
- 30070
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 failure of the pilot to maintain control of the aircraft. A factor in this accident is the pilot's lack of experience in type aircraft.
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 pilot reported that he felt a strong vibration from the main rotor. He stated that the engine was running fine and opined that the vibration may have been caused by an uncoordinated turn. He further stated that 'he spent too much time trying to find out the source of the vibration and forgot to fly the [aircraft].' At this time he was about 200 feet agl and didn't feel that he had enough time to recover any altitude, so he decided to slow [himself] down by landing in an area of bushes. The aircraft then collided with the terrain. The pilot holds a private pilot certificate with single and multiengine land ratings. The pilot reported that he had received approximately 9 hours of dual instruction in helicopters, all in the accident aircraft. This was the pilot's second solo flight in the accident aircraft.
Factual narrative
On April 18, 1998, at 1030 hours Pacific daylight time, a Porat RAF-200 gyroplane, N313EP, crashed into an open field near Hollister, California. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot/owner, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The local personal flight originated at 1015.
The pilot reported that he had been flying the gyroplane for approximately 15 minutes and was on a wide base leg back to the airport about 500 feet agl when he felt a strong vibration from the main rotor. He stated that the engine sounded normal and opined that the vibration might have been caused by an uncoordinated turn. He further stated that he "spent too much time trying to find out the source of the vibration and forgot to fly the [aircraft]." The pilot reported that he was about 200 feet agl over a housing area, with trees and powerlines in his direct flight path, and didn't feel that he had enough time to recover any altitude. He decided to slow [himself] down by landing in an area of bushes that were approximately 6 feet high. The aircraft then collided with terrain about 1 mile from the airport.
The pilot holds a private pilot certificate with single and multiengine land ratings. The pilot purchased the gyroplane kit and put it together himself. He reported that he had received approximately 9 hours of dual instruction in helicopters, all in the accident aircraft. This was the pilot's second solo flight in the accident aircraft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N313EP
- Reported as
- Porat RAF-200
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- H2-97-8-284
- Airframe hours
- 9
- Engine
- Subaru EJ 22, 130 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Eli Porat
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Airport
- 307 · Hollister
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
- 52
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,030 total · 9 in this make and model · 960 as pilot in command · 16 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 48 °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.