David G Holmes BENSEN GYROCOPTER N218DH

Summary

On 22 April 2001 at about 00:00 local time, a David G Holmes BENSEN GYROCOPTER registered N218DH was involved in an accident near Troy, Alabama, 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.

Date

22 April 2001 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Troy, Alabama, United States

Coordinates

31.7599, -85.9991

Aircraft

David G Holmes BENSEN GYROCOPTER

Registration

N218DH

Category

Gyrocraft

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Brundidge → Troy

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA01LA134

Nobody was injured.

The failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed during the approach resulting in a hard landing. A contributing factor in the accident was the loss of engine power during final approach due to undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that he performed a power-off approach to the 10th fairway but just before touchdown he elected to fly closer to the club house and pitched the nose up then added power but the engine did not respond. A high sink rate developed resulting in a hard landing. The gyrocopter then began to wobble resulting in main rotor blade contact with the grass fairway. The gyrocopter then rolled over and a postcrash fire damaged one of the main rotor blades, the main rotor pitch change assembly, and the carburetor. He further stated that there was no flight control preimpact failure or malfunction and he believes the engine quit during the approach due to "flooding", as it had happened before. He also stated that he should have added power before pitching up to air taxi.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.