Amateur-built RAF 2000 GTXSE accident near Wickenburg, Arizona, September 11, 2005
On September 11, 2005 at about 5:00 pm local time, a amateur-built RAF 2000 GTXSE (gyroplane), registered N282SL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wickenburg, Arizona (Wickenburg airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to obtain and maintain an adequate airspeed and rotor speed during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 2005 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wickenburg, Arizona · Wickenburg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built RAF 2000 GTXSE
- Registration
- N282SL · no longer on the register · serial RSL 01
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The gyrocopter collided with terrain and rolled over during takeoff. The pilot departed his home field with a 240-pound passenger and full load of fuel. The performance was not good, but the flight was successful. He landed on runway 05 at the destination airport uneventfully. He departed on runway 05 in no wind conditions, and flew in the local area for an hour. When he returned for landing, other aircraft in the pattern were using runway 23, which had a left 90-degree crosswind. He filled the gyrocopter with fuel, and taxied to runway 23. He started to take off and noted that the nose wasn't light. He pulled back on the control stick and the gyrocopter popped up off the ground. He thought that he was behind the power curve and nosed over to gain airspeed. He did gain some airspeed, but the gyrocopter settled to the ground. He pulled back on the control stick to prevent landing on the nose gear. The gyrocopter lost airspeed and rotor speed. It was right of centerline when a gust of wind pushed it forward and to the right. The pilot said that he felt that if he had taken off downhill, the accident would not have happened, and he would have had adequate power and control movement to maintain control. He thought that performance would have been drastically better if he had added 6 gallons of fuel instead of 14 gallons. He felt that he failed to control the gyrocopter and did not consider the problems associated with marginal performance or ways to increase that performance. The pilot said there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 400 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru Ej 22 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: E25 Wickenburg AZ
- Destination: BXK Buckeye AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,050 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from PHX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.