Amateur-built WEBB 2 accident near Gainsville, Texas, January 28, 2013
On January 28, 2013 at about 11:45 pm local time, a amateur-built WEBB 2 (gyroplane), registered N4844W, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Gainsville, Texas (Gainesville Municipal Airport). It was a flight test 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 pilot’s failure to follow his test plan and abort the takeoff after inadvertently lifting off during a high speed taxi test. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of flight experience in the gyroplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 2013 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Gainsville, Texas · Gainesville Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built WEBB 2
- Registration
- N4844W · registry record · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing initial high-speed taxi tests of his experimental amateur-built gyroplane when it inadvertently became airborne. The pilot then initiated a climb above the runway and continued to fly the airplane to return for landing on the departure runway, which was contrary to the test plan. He did not want to fly past the airport boundary nor any of the hangars on the southeast side of the runway, so he initiated a left turn to crosswind. The gyroplane lost altitude faster than the pilot anticipated and became "low, slow, and behind the power curve" at too low of an altitude to recover. The lower tailboom touched down in a hard landing, which deformed the rudder and tailboom. The rotor was damaged when it contacted the ground. The pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had followed the test plan and landed that gyroplane when it first lifted off. The pilot also stated that a lack of experience in the make and model gyroplane contributed to the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during taxi
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
- Hard landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Not attained/maintained
- factor Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, sport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 1,821 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1,560 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 25, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 0 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 28, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Viking Conversion Of Honda 1.5L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GLE Gainsville TX at 1:43 pm
- Destination: GLE Gainsville TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 6,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 11:35 pm from GLE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.