Mcculloch J-2 accident near Union City, Tennessee, April 21, 1985
On April 21, 1985 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Mcculloch J-2 (gyroplane), registered N4374G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Union City, Tennessee (Everett-Stewart Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 1985 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Union City, Tennessee · Everett-Stewart Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mcculloch J-2
- Registration
- N4374G · no longer on the register · serial 084
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT WITH 7900 TOTAL HOURS AND FOUR HOURS IN GYOPLANE WAS ON SOLO CROSS COUNTRY TRAINING FLIGHT. DURING TAKEOFF AT ENROUTE STOP ROTOR BLADES STRUCK VERTICAL STABILIZER. PILOTS INSTRUCTOR SAID WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE GYROPLANE WAS ROTATED ABRUPTLY DURING TAKEOFF RESULTING IN ROTORBLADES STRIKING THE VERTICAL STABILIZER.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,935 hours in all; 4 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 46 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UCY Union City TN at 9:30 pm
- Destination: PAH Paducah KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.