Dayton A Dabbs MAGNI M-16 accident near Point Venture, Texas, January 13, 2018
On January 13, 2018 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 2016 Dayton A Dabbs MAGNI M-16 (gyroplane), an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N317KD, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Point Venture, Texas. 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 loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because a postaccident engine test run showed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation, and the pilot's decision to conduct the flight at a low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 2018 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Point Venture, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dayton A Dabbs MAGNI M-16 NO SERIES, built 2016, amateur-built · all MAGNI M-16s on the register
- Registration
- N317KD · registry record · serial 16169634
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported that, during a flight in an experimental gyroplane, he decreased altitude by reducing power to fly over the shoreline of a lake. When the gyroplane was at an altitude of 50 ft above ground level, the pilot applied power to gain altitude, but the engine did not respond. The pilot stated that the gyroplane entered a stall and impacted the ground. The pilot noted that that he did not have time to regain airspeed due to the low altitude. The pilot also noted that he should have been operating at a higher altitude, which would have allowed him to land safely by maintaining airspeed with the nose of the gyroplane down. A postaccident engine test run was performed, and the engine started and ran without any issues detected. The collected data from the gyroplane's engine monitor showed that, for the accident flight, the engine rpm dropped from about 5,000 to 1,000 rpm before the end of the data. Besides rpm, the collected data contained only the following parameters: exhaust gas temperatures for each cylinder, water temperature, oil temperature, and atmospheric pressure. The temperature and dew point recorded at a nearby airport were not in the range of susceptibility for carburetor icing. Due to the lack of additional engine monitor data and the successful postaccident engine test run, the reason(s) for the total loss of engine power could not be determined. In addition, the pilot's decision to conduct the flight at a low altitude precluded remedial action after the total loss of engine power and the subsequent stall.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering defining event
- Hard landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private, sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 382 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 382 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 18, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 832 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 20, 2017; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,212 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 914 (piston); 832 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T74 Taylor TX at 3:00 pm
- Destination: T74 Taylor TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.61 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from AUS, 20 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN18LA079.