Chapel Robert B AERIAL N435AB
26 December 2011 · Simsbury, Connecticut, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 26 December 2011 at about 18:05 local time, a Chapel Robert B AERIAL registered N435AB, operated by Chapel Robert B, was involved in an accident near Simsbury, Connecticut, 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 18:05
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Simsbury, Connecticut, United States
- Nearest airport
- Simsbury Airport (4B9)
- Coordinates
- 41.9097, -72.7728
- Aircraft
- Chapel Robert B AERIAL
- Registration
- N435AB
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Chapel Robert B
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Simsbury → Simsbury
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- ERA12CA124
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to operate the gyroplane outside his endorsement limitations and to depart with a tailwind, which resulted in a forced landing to unsuitable terrain.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
During run-up, high-speed taxi, and pre-spin of the rotor, the pilot/owner noted no anomalies with the recently certificated experimental amateur-built gyroplane. Although the pilot/owner was not rated in rotorcraft, he had a student endorsement that limited his flights to in-ground-effect only and with no more than 10 knots of wind. The pilot chose to perform a normal takeoff with a 14-knot tailwind that gusted to 24 knots. At 200 feet above the runway, the pilot determined that the rotor rpm was decaying and that the gyroplane would not climb due to the tailwind. He performed a forced landing off the departure end of the runway, and the gyroplane came to rest on its side, which resulted in substantial damage to the airframe. The pilot/owner reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the gyroplane.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oct 2011 | Mooney M20K | Ridgefield, Connecticut, United States | Baldwin Robert A IV | Serious injuries | - |
| 22 Apr 2011 | Piper PA-28-161 | Meriden, Connecticut, United States | Persaud Munidat | No injuries | - |
| 12 Mar 2011 | Piper PA-28-161 | Oxford, Connecticut, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 17 Oct 2011 | Cirrus SR22 | Danbury, Connecticut, United States | Peter L Woodsmall | Fatal | 1 |
| 26 Jun 2011 | Piper PA-32-300 | Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States | Three Wing Flying Services | Serious injuries | - |
| 2 Apr 2011 | Cessna U206C | Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States | Hagerstown Aircraft Services Inc | No injuries | - |