Stuart VORTEX N43259

Summary

On 31 August 2013 at about 20:57 local time, a Stuart VORTEX registered N43259 was involved in an accident near Scappoose, Oregon, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

31 August 2013 at 20:57

Classification

Accident

Location

Scappoose, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Scappoose Industrial Airpark (SPB)

Coordinates

45.7650, -122.8636

Aircraft

Stuart VORTEX

Registration

N43259

Category

Gyrocraft

Year built

2005

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Scappoose → Scappoose

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR13FA393

1 person died.

The student pilot's unintentional takeoff followed by his failure to maintain control of the gyroplane during the landing approach. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot’s lack of both flight training and flight experience and his lack of a solo endorsement.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot intended to perform a series of high-speed taxi tests and "crow hops" in the single-seat gyroplane. During the first test, the gyroplane lifted off and climbed to about 30 feet. After flying about half the length of the runway, the pilot reduced engine power for landing, appeared to encounter control difficulties, and then applied power and initiated a go-around. The gyroplane continued to climb and joined the crosswind and then downwind legs of the traffic pattern. As the gyroplane approached the base leg, it rolled aggressively to the left in a nose-high attitude and then rapidly descended to the ground in an uncontrolled manner. Most of the gyroplane's structure was consumed by postimpact fire. Examination of the remaining engine, rotor, and flight control system components did not reveal any mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Witness marks indicated that the engine was producing power during the descent. Damage to the rotor system indicated that the main rotor blades diverged greatly from their track during flight, striking both the forward cabin structure and the engine driven propeller. The student pilot had very limited flight experience and began his flight training in a fixed wing airplane the year prior. He was not approved for and had not conducted solo flight in the accident gyroplane or any other aircraft.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.