Charland VORTEX accident near Wellton, AZ

On December 23, 2012, a Charland VORTEX (gyroplane) was involved in an accident near Wellton, AZ. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.

Date

December 23, 2012

Place

Wellton, AZ

Aircraft

Charland VORTEX · Gyroplane

Injuries

1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Substantial

Position

32.659°N, 114.007°W

NTSB ID

20121223X31656

Official records · WPR13FA074

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn December 23, 2012, about 1427 mountain standard time, a Charland Vortex, gyrocopter, N618TC, sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain near a private airport near Wellton, Arizona. The gyrocopter was registered to and operated by the pilot under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant of the gyrocopter, was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight that departed the private airport about 1400. One of the witnesses to the accident was also a gyrocopter pilot and knew the accident pilot personally. He stated that he was flying in the traffic pattern with the accident pilot, in another gyrocopter. They were performing numerous touch and go landings and were in radio contact with each other. He stated that the accident pilot had replaced the oil sump before flying that day. Traffic patterns were being flown with left turns at about 400 feet above ground level (agl). When the witness observed the accident pilot perform touch and go landings, he stated that the gyrocopter and pilot performance were normal and unremarkable. The witness stated that he had landed and was attempting another takeoff when he noticed the wreckage of the accident gyrocopter to his left. He aborted his takeoff and went to the crash site to render assistance. A second witness was located near the airport reported seeing and hearing the gyrocopters flying around the airport. He looked up and saw a gyrocopter at about 100 feet above

Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering in the traffic pattern.

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.