Amateur-built J-BIRD accident near Mckinney, Texas, October 1, 1988
On October 1, 1988 at about 5:00 pm local time, a amateur-built J-BIRD (gyroplane), registered N151JS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mckinney, Texas (Aero Country airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 1988 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mckinney, Texas · Aero Country · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built J-BIRD
- Registration
- N151JS · registry record · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RPRTD HE WAS MAKING A HIGH SPEED TAXI TEST OF HIS GYROPLANE AFTER INSTALLATION OF A DIFFERENT ENG & PROP. HE SAID THE GYROPLANE ENCTRD A BUMP ON THE RWY WHICH CAUSED IT TO BECOME AIRBORNE AT ABOUT 35 MPH (TAKEOFF SPEED WAS 45 MPH). HE ADDED POWER TO SLOW THE DSCNT BACK TO THE RWY, BUT THE GYROPLANE BOUNCED EVEN HIGHER TO ABOUT 6' AGL. IT THEN CONTACTED THE RWY NOSEWHEEL FIRST, ROLLED OVER & SUBSEQUENTLY CAME TO REST IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION WITH SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 1,603 hours in all; 149 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 1,511 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 164 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 27, 1988; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 600 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,950 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.
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 FTW89DPA01.