Ronald Houk RD-1 N4741A

Summary

On 13 August 1985 at about 00:30 local time, a Ronald Houk RD-1 registered N4741A was involved in an accident near St. Charles, Missouri, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

13 August 1985 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

St. Charles, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

St Charles City (3SL)

Coordinates

38.7907, -90.5110

Aircraft

Ronald Houk RD-1

Registration

N4741A

Category

Gyrocraft

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MKC85FA182

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HOME BUILT GYROCOPTER WAS BEING FLOWN BY THE OWNER/BUILDER/DESIGNER WHO HAD AN AIRPLANE, SINGLE-ENG, LAND RATING. SHORTLY AFTER THE GYROCOPTER TOOK OFF, THE ENG WAS OPERATING AT A HIGH RPM WHEN A WITNESS HEARD A POP/NOISE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE GYROCOPTER CRASHED IN A CORN FIELD ABOUT 1-1/2 MI FROM THE DEPARTURE POINT. THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS FOUND INVERTED. ONE ROTOR BLADE, THE OIL COOLER & THE LEFT VERTICAL STABILIZER & RUDDER WERE FOUND 60 TO 150 FT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. BOTH OF THE WOODEN PROP BLADES HAD SHATTERED. THE OIL COOLER HAD BEEN INSTALLED BELOW THE ENG & JUST FORWARD OF THE PROP. ITS UPPER SIDE HAD BEEN ATTACHED WITH A SINGLE SOLID MOUNT USING AN 'L' SHAPED ALUMINUM STRAP. ITS LOWER SIDE WAS FASTENED WITH A SEMIFLEXIBLE MOUNTING. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE UPPER MOUNT HAD FAILED & ALLOWED THE OIL COOLER TO MOVE AFT INTO THE PLANE OF ROTATION OF THE PROP BLADES. EXCEPT FOR THE OIL COOLER BRACKET, NO PRE- ACCIDENT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE FOUND.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.