Autogyro MTO SPORT N498AG

Summary

On 12 October 2019 at about 20:30 local time, a Autogyro MTO SPORT registered N498AG was involved in an accident near Montgomery, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 October 2019 at 20:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Montgomery, Texas, United States

Coordinates

30.3367, -95.6794

Aircraft

Autogyro MTO SPORT

Registration

N498AG

Category

Gyrocraft

Year built

2014

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hempstead → Livingston

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20TA007

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees during departure. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight assessment of the field for takeoff.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The sport pilot was departing for a personal, cross-country flight in a gyroplane from a field through an opening of trees. During departure, the pilot realized that the gyroplane did not have sufficient altitude to clear trees. The pilot maneuvered the gyroplane, but it impacted trees and then came to rest nose down on the left side of the fuselage. The pilot reported that there no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that the accident could have been prevented by "measuring the length of the field before taking off." Therefore, it is likely that the pilot's failure to adequately assess the suitability of the field for takeoff resulted in the collision with trees.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.