Amateur-built Bensen Gyrocopter accident near Troy, Alabama, April 22, 2001
On April 22, 2001, a amateur-built Bensen Gyrocopter (gyroplane), registered N218DH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Troy, Alabama. 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 failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed during the approach resulting in a hard landing. A contributing factor in the accident was the loss of engine power during final approach due to undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 2001
- Place
- Troy, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Bensen Gyrocopter
- Registration
- N218DH · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he performed a power-off approach to the 10th fairway but just before touchdown he elected to fly closer to the club house and pitched the nose up then added power but the engine did not respond. A high sink rate developed resulting in a hard landing. The gyrocopter then began to wobble resulting in main rotor blade contact with the grass fairway. The gyrocopter then rolled over and a postcrash fire damaged one of the main rotor blades, the main rotor pitch change assembly, and the carburetor. He further stated that there was no flight control preimpact failure or malfunction and he believes the engine quit during the approach due to "flooding", as it had happened before. He also stated that he should have added power before pitching up to air taxi.
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
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru EA-81 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 60A Brundidge AL at 11:50 pm
- Destination: Troy AL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from KTOI, 5 miles away
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.
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.