Sparrow Hawk III N430HS
23 March 2022 · Lubbock, Texas, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 23 March 2022 at about 15:46 local time, a Sparrow Hawk III registered N430HS was involved in an accident near Lubbock, Texas, 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 15:46
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Lubbock, Texas, United States
- Nearest airport
- Lubbock Executive Airpark (F82)
- Coordinates
- 33.4859, -101.8137
- Aircraft
- Sparrow Hawk III
- Registration
- N430HS
- 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
- CEN22LA150
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the gyrocopter during takeoff with strong gusty winds.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
Shortly after takeoff the pilot “felt a force straight down.” The gyroplane impacted the terrain hard, rolled over, and came to rest on its side adjacent to the runway. The gyroplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and stabilizers. Reported winds about the time accident included wind gusts and a peak wind of 30 knots. A postaccident examination of the gyroplane revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29 Mar 2022 | Cessna R182 | McAllen, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 22 Jul 2022 | Piper PA-28-235 | Seguin, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 27 Feb 2022 | Kitfox 4-1200 | Woodstock, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 Jun 2022 | Piper PA-28-140 | New Braunfels, Texas, United States | Texas Aviation Acaemy | No injuries | - |
| 28 Feb 2022 | Cessna 208B | Campbellton, Texas, United States | Revolution Flight | No injuries | - |
| 21 Oct 2022 | Van's RV-12 | Chandler, Texas, United States | Blackwell Jimmie A | Fatal | 1 |