Blanton RAF 2000 accident near The Colony, TX
On November 28, 1998, a Blanton RAF 2000 (gyroplane) was involved in an accident near The Colony, TX. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- November 28, 1998
- Place
- The Colony, TX
- Aircraft
- Blanton RAF 2000 · Gyroplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 33.090°N, 96.880°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X11419
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On November 28, 1998, at 1500 central standard time, a Blanton Rotary Air Force (RAF) 2000 experimental amateur built gyroplane, N14GR, was destroyed when the main rotor blades struck the rudder during cruise flight near The Colony, Texas. The private pilot, who was the registered owner and builder of the gyroplane, sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The cross-country flight originated from the Caddo Mills Municipal Airport, Caddo Mills, Texas, at 1430. According to two other gyroplane pilots, they arrived at Caddo Mills with the pilot of N14GR, earlier in the day for a meeting of "The Popular Rotorcraft Association." After the meeting, they each departed in their own gyroplane. They reported that before they took off they all planned to fly to the Propwash Airport near Fort Worth, Texas, to obtain fuel. After they departed the airport, they kept each other in sight for the first 30 miles of the flight. Both pilots reported that the last time they observed the accident gyroplane, it was flying straight-and-level along the northern perimeter of Lake Lavon, at 80 miles per hour and 800 feet agl, in a southwesterly direction, directly towards the Propwash Airport. Both pilots stated that the wind was from the "south at 20 knots and was gusty." One pilot added that he encountered a gust, which he estimated was approximately "50 knots". He added that his thoughts at the time were "WOW, that was the biggest gust of wind that I have ever
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the gyroplane during cruise flight. A factor was the gusty wind condition.
More accidents in TX
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Browse: Texas
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
