Thornley THORNLEY 2000 N248JT

Summary

On 2 April 2002 at about 17:20 local time, a Thornley THORNLEY 2000 registered N248JT was involved in an accident near Granite Shoals, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 April 2002 at 17:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Granite Shoals, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Granite Shoals Muni Airport (32TE)

Coordinates

30.5783, -98.3403

Aircraft

Thornley THORNLEY 2000

Registration

N248JT

Category

Gyrocraft

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Granite Shoals → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW02LA110

1 person was seriously injured.

the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with a power line while maneuvering. Contributing factors were the pilot's diverted attention and the power lines.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot took off to the north in the gyrocopter to practice takeoffs and landings, with winds light and variable. After takeoff and reaching an altitude of 90 feet agl, the aircraft stopped climbing. As the aircraft was now near the departure end of the runway, the pilot elected not to try landing on the runway, feeling he would overshoot the runway into a wooded field. The pilot proceeded northward and initiated a gentle turn to the right, intending to land on the runway to the south; however, the aircraft continued to lose altitude. When the pilot was 90 degrees into his turn, he felt he was getting too far east of the runway, at which time he decided to land to the east on an east-west roadway which bordered the north boundary of the runway. As the pilot "straightened out," the aircraft stopped losing altitude, but was now barely above treetop level. Preparing to land, the pilot's attention was diverted as he was looking for cars, overhanging trees, power lines, and TV lines, resulting in the aircraft's wheels impacting the top strand of a power line. The aircraft broke through the power lines, impacted terrain, and came to rest on its left side.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.