Bird RAF-2000 N70334

Summary

On 6 November 1993 at about 17:30 local time, a Bird RAF-2000 registered N70334, operated by Bird, David, E.,, was involved in an accident near Redmond, Utah, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

6 November 1993 at 17:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Redmond, Utah, United States

Nearest airport

Salina-Gunnison (44U)

Coordinates

38.9993, -111.8794

Aircraft

Bird RAF-2000

Registration

N70334

Category

Gyrocraft

Engines

1

Operator

Bird, David, E.,

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA94LA026

1 person died.

THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S EXCEEDING THE PROPER CLIMB RATE. A FACTOR CONTIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN MAKE/MODEL.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

WHILE EXECUTING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 20 AT THE SALINA- GUNNISON AIRPORT THE LOW TIME PILOT FREQUENTLY DIVERGED FROM THE RUNWAY'S CENTERLINE AND PASSED OVERHEAD HIS FATHER, WIFE AND A THIRD WITNESS, SITUATED BEYOND THE EDGE OF THE RUNWAY. FOLLOWING THE SEVENTH SUCH OVERFLIGHT THE GYROPLANE BEGAN A TRANSITION FROM HORIZONTAL TO VERTICAL FLIGHT REACHING AN ALTITUDE OF 200-250 FEET AGL, AND THEN DESCENDED RAPIDLY TO THE GROUND. THE FATHER, WHO WAS VIDEOTAPING THE GYROPLANE, DESCRIBED THE MANEUVER AS 'LIKE A HAMMERHEAD STALL.' WRECKAGE EXAMINATION BY FAA PERSONNEL REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.