Robert D Carr Jr CAVALON N635BC
4 August 2020 · Upper Lake, California, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 4 August 2020 at about 16:30 local time, a Robert D Carr Jr CAVALON registered N635BC was involved in an accident near Upper Lake, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously 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 16:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Upper Lake, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 39.1636, -122.8828
- Aircraft
- Robert D Carr Jr CAVALON
- Registration
- N635BC
- Category
- Gyrocraft
- Year built
- 2017
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Lakeport → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR20CA253
People
2 people were seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot’s distraction and failure to maintain adequate airspeed during a low altitude maneuver, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control and collision with terrain.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot of the gyroplane reported that, while maneuvering at low altitude over a friend’s property, he looked down and backwards to the ground and inadvertently pulled back on the control stick, slowing the gyroplane to about 20 mph. He attempted to correct by applying full engine power and descending to reestablish airspeed. Concerned the gyroplane would impact trees, he flared just above a wooded area. The gyroplane fell through the trees to the ground substantially damaging the tail section. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 May 2020 | Cessna 172 | Fresno, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 6 Feb 2020 | Cessna 208 | Eureka, California, United States | Redding Aero Enterprises Inc | Minor injuries | - |
| 19 Aug 2020 | Arrow-Falcon Exporters UH-1H | Coalinga, California, United States | Guardian Helicopters Inc | Fatal | 1 |
| 4 Oct 2020 | Evolution REVO | Hawthorne, California, United States | Joe K Audette | Fatal | 1 |
| 10 Feb 2020 | Beechcraft 36 | Avalon, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 3 Feb 2020 | Boeing 747 412 | Los Angeles, California, United States | Kalitta Air | No injuries | - |