- Date
- August 15, 1997, 11:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Olympia, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9155HRotz RAF 2000 GTX SE
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 4, 1998
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19970815045449A
- Case key
- 42674
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 failure to attain adequate rotor rpm prior to takeoff.
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
During takeoff with a gyroplane, the pilot initiated the takeoff with a rotor speed of 150 rpm in order to expedite his takeoff for a landing airplane. As the aircraft became airborne, it started a roll to the left and the rotor blades struck the ground.
Factual narrative
On August 15, 1997, approximately 1130 Pacific daylight time, a Rotz RAF 2000 GTX SE homebuilt gyroplane, N9155H, was substantially damaged when it collided with the ground during takeoff from the Olympia airport at Olympia, WA. The sole occupant received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the 14 CFR 91 flight.
The pilot reported that he had been cleared to takeoff from runway 17 and was starting a prerotation when the controller advised there was a LearJet on final and he would need to expedite his takeoff or clear the runway. The pilot initiated the takeoff roll with a rotor speed of 150 RPM. At 180 to 200 RPM the pilot disengaged the rotor and went to full power. As the aircraft became airborne, it started a roll to the left at about 10 ft elevation and the rotor blades struck the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9155H
- Reported as
- Rotz RAF 2000 GTX SE (RAF 2000 G)
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- H2-95-6-165
- Airframe hours
- 72
- Engine
- Subaru LEGACY, 130 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Michael J. Clouse
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 15, 1997 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- OLM
- Airport
- OLM · Olympia, runway 17, 5,419 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 153 total · 17 in this make and model · 108 as pilot in command · 31 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 225° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 64 °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.