- Date
- June 29, 2021, 11:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lakeside, OR
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N159WTSilverLight AR-1
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)
- 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
- Federal Aviation Administration
- Case key
- 103372
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 inadequate decision to continue the takeoff after sufficient airspeed was not attained and his failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering to avoid obstructions, which resulted in a collision with the ground.
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 reported that he departed from runway 33, which was composed of grass; there was no wind. During the takeoff roll, he was unable to get to an appropriate takeoff velocity. As he neared the end of the runway, he realized the gyrocopter would not clear the trees and at an altitude of about 20 ft agl, he attempted a left 180° turn back to the runway. The gyrocopter collided with the terrain still configured in the left turn. The forward fuselage of the gyrocopter was substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot opined that he did not properly compensate for the drag from the grass and was not able to get enough airspeed to make an adequate takeoff.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N159WT
- Reported as
- SilverLight AR-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0008
- Built
- 2017
- Airframe hours
- 203
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Chaplains Of Industry
- Registered owner
- Chaplains Of Industry
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · May 1, 2021 · 13 hours before
- Airport
- 9S3 · Lakeside Muni, runway 15/33, 2,150 × 100 ft, grass/turf
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B
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
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- October 27, 2020
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 239 total · 225,197 in this make and model · 161 as pilot in command · 15 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,200 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 57 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.86 inHg
- Observed at
- KOTH, 11 nm away
- METAR
- KOTH 291856Z 22008KT 10SM OVC022 21/14 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP112 T02060144
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 3, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.1 MB in all.