Elliott RAF 2000 N797X
16 December 1998 · Walla Walla, Washington, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 16 December 1998 at about 19:31 local time, a Elliott RAF 2000 registered N797X was involved in an accident near Walla Walla, Washington, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 19:31
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Walla Walla, Washington, United States
- Nearest airport
- Walla Walla Regional (ALW)
- Coordinates
- 46.1095, -118.3003
- Aircraft
- Elliott RAF 2000
- Registration
- N797X
- Category
- Gyrocraft
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- SEA99LA021
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control after landing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot reported that he was practicing taxi tests after just installing repaired rotor blades and propeller. On his fourth high-speed run, the gyroplane lifted off to approximately 20 feet in altitude. The pilot stated that he closed the throttle and the gyroplane touched down on its tailwheel, then its main gear; while still moving forward with the front wheel elevated, a slight wind gust caused the gyroplane to veer to the right. The pilot stated that he instinctively pushed left rudder, noting that at such slow speed, the rudder is ineffective, however, it does turn the steerable nosewheel to the left. When back pressure was released on the stick, the nosewheel touched down in a left-turn direction, causing the aircraft to roll over due to the sudden turning action.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Mar 1998 | Cessna P210N | Royal City, Washington, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 4 Jun 1998 | Cessna 172N | Prindle, Washington, United States | - | Fatal | 3 |
| 9 Apr 1998 | Cessna 150L | Seattle, Washington, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 30 Jul 1998 | Embraer EMB-135 | Moses Lake, Washington, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 19 Jul 1998 | Cessna 172P | Seattle, Washington, United States | Wings Aloft Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 24 Jul 1998 | Pilgrim STEEN SKYBOLT | Curtis, Washington, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |