Amateur-built Thornley 2000 accident near Granite Shoals, Texas, April 2, 2002
On April 2, 2002 at about 5:20 pm local time, a amateur-built Thornley 2000 (gyroplane), registered N248JT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Granite Shoals, Texas (Granite Shoals Muni Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain clearance with a power line while maneuvering. Contributing factors were the pilot's diverted attention and the power lines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 2002 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Granite Shoals, Texas · Granite Shoals Muni Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Thornley 2000
- Registration
- N248JT · registry record · serial H2-00-11-461
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot took off to the north in the gyrocopter to practice takeoffs and landings, with winds light and variable. After takeoff and reaching an altitude of 90 feet agl, the aircraft stopped climbing. As the aircraft was now near the departure end of the runway, the pilot elected not to try landing on the runway, feeling he would overshoot the runway into a wooded field. The pilot proceeded northward and initiated a gentle turn to the right, intending to land on the runway to the south; however, the aircraft continued to lose altitude. When the pilot was 90 degrees into his turn, he felt he was getting too far east of the runway, at which time he decided to land to the east on an east-west roadway which bordered the north boundary of the runway. As the pilot "straightened out," the aircraft stopped losing altitude, but was now barely above treetop level. Preparing to land, the pilot's attention was diverted as he was looking for cars, overhanging trees, power lines, and TV lines, resulting in the aircraft's wheels impacting the top strand of a power line. The aircraft broke through the power lines, impacted terrain, and came to rest on its left side.
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: student
- Flight time: 162 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 202 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 18, 2001; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,330 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru ALL MDLS A/B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 32TE Granite Shoals TX at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 02, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 FTW02LA110.