Amateur-built AR-1 accident near Anahuac, Texas, December 15, 2018
On December 15, 2018 at about 5:15 pm local time, a 2016 amateur-built AR-1 (gyroplane), registered N923DJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Anahuac, Texas (Chambers County airport). 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 pilot's improper landing flare in gusting crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 15, 2018 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Anahuac, Texas · Chambers County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AR-1, built 2016
- Registration
- N923DJ · 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 pilot of the gyroplane reported that, while practicing simulated engine-out landings, the gyroplane experienced a sudden loss of lift during the flare due to "possible strong wind shear." The gyroplane then descended about 4 ft, and he attempted to recover with full power, but the gyroplane landed hard. Subsequently, the propeller struck the ground, the gyroplane bounced, and the rotor impacted the ground and sheared off. The gyroplane sustained substantial damage to the main rotor and mast. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the weather at the airport, about the time of the accident, was wind from 300° at 12 knots, gusting to 15 knots. The pilot landed the gyroplane on runway 35.
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
- Other weather encounter during landing
- Loss of lift during landing
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Hard landing during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Part(s) separation from AC during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, sport pilot
- Ratings: instructor: gyroplane; instructor: sport pilot; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,428 hours in all; 161 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,930 as pilot in command; 55 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 11, 2017
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 195 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 21, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 1,160 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912UL/S (piston); 195 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T00 Anahuac TX at 5:00 pm
- Destination: T00 Anahuac TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 1,900 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 am from KEFD, 28 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 GAA19CA101.