- Date
- August 4, 2020, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Upper Lake, CA
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N635BCRobert D Carr Jr Cavalon
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20200804011619A
- Case key
- 101735
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 distraction and failure to maintain adequate airspeed during a low altitude maneuver, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and collision with terrain.
Findings · 3
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 maneuvering at low altitude over a friend’s property, he looked down and backwards to the ground and inadvertently pulled back on the control stick, slowing the gyroplane to about 20 mph. He attempted to correct by applying full engine power and descending to reestablish airspeed. Concerned the gyroplane would impact trees, he flared just above a wooded area. The gyroplane fell through the trees to the ground substantially damaging the tail section. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N635BC
- Reported as
- Robert D Carr Jr Cavalon
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- VO0320
- Built
- 2017
- Airframe hours
- 272
- Engine
- Rotax 914 UL, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 15, 2020
- Departed
- 1O2 · Lakeport, CA
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 67
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 853.8 total · 71.8 in this make and model · 803.3 as pilot in command · 71.3 in the last 90 days · 24.8 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.99 inHg
- Turbulence
- Light
- Observed at
- KUKI, 74 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 14, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 24.9 MB 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.