Bentley MONGOOSE A N7143K

Summary

On 5 October 1991 at about 21:48 local time, a Bentley MONGOOSE A registered N7143K, operated by Bentley, Richard F, was involved in an accident near Boulder City, Nevada, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 October 1991 at 21:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Boulder City, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Dry Lake (NONE)

Coordinates

35.9902, -114.8099

Aircraft

Bentley MONGOOSE A

Registration

N7143K

Category

Gyrocraft

Engines

1

Operator

Bentley, Richard F

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX92LA006

2 people died.

THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF AN INADEQUATE TAKEOFF AREA WHICH WAS TOO SHORT FOR THE PREVAILING CONDITIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PLT'S MED CERT WAS EXPIRED & HE DID NOT HOLD A ROTORCRAFT CATEGORY RATING. DRG AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE, STRONG ROTATIONAL SIGNATURES WERE EVIDENT ON BOTH THE PROP & MAIN ROTOR BLADES. NO ACFT SYS ABNORMALITIES WERE FND DRG THE EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE. WHEEL TRACKS & IMPACT GND SCARS WERE FND ON THE DRY LAKE BED SURFACE. THREE TIRE TRACKS MATCHING THE DIMENSIONAL GEOMETRY OF THE LNDG GEAR WERE FND EXTENDING FOR A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 150 YDS. AN ADDITIONAL 15 YDS OF MAIN GEAR ONLY TRACKS WERE FND, WHICH TERMINATED AT A BERM. HVY GOUGE MARKS WERE NOTED ON THE TOP OF THE BERM, WHICH MATCHED ALL 3 LNDG GEAR. ABOUT 105 YDS BEYOND THE BERM, A GND IMPACT CRATER WAS OBSERVED, FOLLOWED BY A DISTURBANCE IN THE DIRT WHICH CULMINATED IN THE GYROCOPTER WRECKAGE. THE GYROCOPTER HAD NOT BEEN ISSUED AN AIRWORTHINESS CERTIFICATE IN ANY CATEGORY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.