- Date
- May 9, 2009, 14:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- South Prairie, WA
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1435XAtkins John RAF 2000 G
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Abrupt maneuver
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 13, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20090509004949A
- Case key
- 73797
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 abrupt maneuver to avoid a collision that resulted in an airspeed reduction and subsequent loss of lift provided by the rotor system. Contributing to the accident was the failure of both pilots to maintain an adequate visual lookout for other aircraft in the traffic pattern.
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 reported that during takeoff initial climb from the uncontrolled airport, at 50 feet above ground level, he heard the sound of an airplane coming towards him from the left and saw a shadow of the airplane on the ground merging with his, and initiated an abrupt turn of 90 degrees to the right to avoid a collision. Upon completion of the turn, the pilot noticed that he had lost a significant amount of airspeed and was heading toward a residential structure. The pilot initiated a second turn to the right to miss the house and attempted to regain airspeed. Subsequently, the gyroplane impacted terrain adjacent to the runway. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the flight control system or engine prior to the accident. A witness located adjacent to the accident site reported that another aircraft was apparently making a high-speed pass over the runway and overflew the gyroplane as it was taking off.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during takeoff initial climb from the uncontrolled airport, at 50 feet above ground level (agl), he heard the sound of an airplane coming towards him from the left and saw a shadow of the airplane on the ground merging with his, and initiated an abrupt turn of 90 degrees to the right to avoid a collision. Upon completion of the turn, the pilot noticed he had lost a significant amount of airspeed and was heading towards a residential structure. The pilot initiated a second turn to the right to miss the house and attempt to regain airspeed. Subsequently, the gyroplane impacted terrain adjacent to the runway. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the flight control system or engine prior to the accident. A witness located adjacent to the accident site reported that another aircraft was apparently making a high speed pass over the runway and overflew the gyroplane as it was taking off.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1435X
- Reported as
- Atkins John RAF 2000 G
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- H2-00-11-450
- Airframe hours
- 381
- Engine
- Ama/Expr UNKNOWN ENG, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Rogers Randall H
- Registered owner
- Rogers Randall H
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 7, 2009 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- 02WA · South Prairie, WA
- Destination
- S50 · Auburn, WA
- Airport
- 02WA · Cawley South Prairie, runway 34, 2,400 × 100 ft, grass/turf
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
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 6, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 420 total · 337 in this make and model · 342 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Observed at
- PLU, 10 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 4, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 771 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.