Amateur-built APOLLO AG-1 accident near Smith Beach, Virginia, May 6, 2018
On May 6, 2018 at about 7:10 pm local time, a 2015 amateur-built APOLLO AG-1 (gyroplane), registered N141C, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Smith Beach, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The noninstrument-rated pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight weather planning, which resulted in an off-airport precautionary landing to avoid weather and a subsequent collision with power lines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 2018 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Smith Beach, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built APOLLO AG-1 NO SERIES, built 2015
- Registration
- N141C · registry record · serial 0002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The noninstrument-rated private pilot of the experimental, amateur-built gyroplane reported that, during a cross-country, personal flight, as the flight neared the destination airport, the cloud ceiling began to lower very rapidly. He then decided to land at a private airstrip before the destination airport. He mistook a road for the private airstrip, and during the attempted landing, the gyroplane collided with power lines and sustained substantial fuselage damage. Examination of the gyroplane did not reveal evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation nor did the pilot report any. The recorded weather at the destination airport included visibility of 1 3/4 miles in mist and overcast ceiling at 500 ft. The pilot used weather equipment onboard his gyroplane, but he did not receive a preflight weather briefing from flight service. It is likely that the pilot's failure to get a preflight weather briefing and his inadequate use of his onboard weather equipment led to his subsequent decision to conduct an off-airport landing and the subsequent collision with power lines.
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
- VFR encounter with IMC during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Weather planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private, sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 475 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 6, 2018
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 464 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 3, 2018; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,232 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 914ULS (piston); 600 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IXA Roanoke Rapids NC at 5:30 pm
- Destination: MFV Melfa VA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 1.8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 7:15 pm from MFV, 15 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 ERA18TA142.