Stuart VORTEX accident near Scappoose, OR

On August 31, 2013, a Stuart VORTEX (gyroplane) was involved in an accident near Scappoose, OR. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.

Date

August 31, 2013

Place

Scappoose, OR

Aircraft

Stuart VORTEX · Gyroplane

Injuries

1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Destroyed

Position

45.765°N, 122.864°W

NTSB ID

20130901X04803

Official records · WPR13FA393

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

NTSB summary

HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn August 31, 2013, at 1357 Pacific daylight time, a single-seat experimental amateur-built Sport Copter Vortex, N43259, collided with the ground near Scappoose Industrial Airpark, Scappoose, Oregon. The gyroplane was registered to, and operated by, the pilot under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The student pilot was fatally injured. The gyroplane sustained substantial damage during the accident sequence, and was subsequently destroyed by post impact fire. The local personal flight departed Scappoose about 2 minutes prior to the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. A friend of the pilot reported that they had performed minor maintenance earlier that morning to the nosewheel. The pilot did not intend to take off, but rather had planned on performing a series of high speed taxi tests, and "crow hops." The friend further stated that the pilot had never soloed in a gyroplane before, with his only prior solo experience being a series of "crow hops" the previous weekend. The friend witnessed and video-recorded the initial segment of the accident flight while positioned midfield on the west ramp. He stated that the gyroplane began the ground roll while traveling north on the parallel taxiway west of the runway 33. It took off, and seemed to be flying normally; however, as the pilot initiated the landing attempt, it became unstable and began to wobble. The pilot applied engine power and the gyroplane started to climb, and began a left turn towards the crosswind leg. A second witness, who

Probable cause

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.

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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.