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#1
02-19-2007, 06:14 AM
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OK gyro pilot passes away
I'm sad to report that Kelly Teague passed away yesterday when his KB2 gyro crashed near his home airport, C.E. Page, just west of OK City, OK.
There was some video available on one of the local news channels but I can't find it this morning. Here is a link to another local station's report without video: news report I don't have any more details than what is in the news report. Kelly flew a KB2 with a VW engine, seat tank, and Ron Herron T-tail. He had thousands of hours in helicopters, fixed wing, and gyros and taught aerobatics in his fixed wing. We here in OK and a lot of others in aviation will miss him.
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Michael Guard Oklahoma City ============= Last edited by chuter; 02-19-2007 at 06:47 AM. 
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#2
02-19-2007, 07:19 AM
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very sorry. his family has my sympathies.
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#3
02-19-2007, 07:27 AM
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Sad news indeed, Michael.
Please let us know when you find more info. I will suppress my gut feeling as to cause, for now. .
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Harry Sieckmann RAF 2000 N324S "Imagination is more important than knowledge" Albert Einstein. Better to have and not need...than to need and not have.
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#4
02-19-2007, 07:49 AM
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according to witnesses, the helicopter took off from the airport and flew about 200 yards south into the wind before making a hard turn to go north. Witnesses said it appeared the wind caught the helicopter and slammed it to the ground, Holland said.
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#5
02-19-2007, 08:03 AM
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My condolences.
Please pass on any information that is approprate. Thanks.
__________________
"The exhilaration of flying is too keen, the pleasure too great, for it to be neglected as a sport"— Orville Wright Tim OConnor, CFI, Commercial Pilot Rotorcraft, Sport Pilot Fixed Wing, FAA Advanced Ground Instructor:..  PRA Member #38872, You CAN Afford to FLY ! --> http://www.YouCanAffordToBeAPilot.com Rotorcraft 11,000 file archive
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#7
02-19-2007, 08:56 AM
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The wind can't "catch" an aircraft, of course. The aircraft is already "caught" when it leaves the ground.
A quick downwind turn at low altitude can bring you down, however. If you take off into the wind, ANY turn is a downwind turn -- that is, a turn away from the wind. Two effects can cause you to fall out of such a turn. First, if you try to carve a nice neat U-turn over the ground, you will have to tighten your bank as the turn progresses. You may run out of power and airspeed to stay up at the steeper bank angle. Furthermore, the wind has a speed gradient close to the ground. As long as you climb into the wind, you're constantly entering air that's moving faster and you get a boost. Climbing downwind into a gradient produces the opposite effect. It feels as if the air just got thinner. It's hard to believe that a seasoned pilot would get caught in the downwind-turn trap, so there's likely more to it. The sketchy info so far points in that direction, though.
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#8
02-19-2007, 11:10 AM
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This is really sad. I was just at Martin Weaver's web site, where I learned of Mr. Teague and saw a picture of his gyro.
The title of this thread is misleading. I thought a gyro pilot passed his check ride with Martin. The actual content was a real shock. I echo Doug. The wind shouldn't have been a factor for an experienced pilot. The news story reminds me of "air pockets" a term thrown around a lot in the old days. Air pockets are the wind version of "heat lightning".
__________________
Tom Milton, Need a DAR, Seat tank, Prerotator, Rotor Brake, or Rotor Tach? Have Airworthiness Certification questions? gyroplanes@aol.com or Visit www.calumetair.com
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#9
02-19-2007, 11:20 AM
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I just registered and watched the news video (no video of actual crash) I have never seen a gyro come apart like that. He apparently hit real hard.
I thought it might have just been a hard landing with a freak fatal event, such as contact with a bent rotor, but this looks like a real hard impact. I hope that our "go team" will investigate along with the FAA.
__________________
Tom Milton, Need a DAR, Seat tank, Prerotator, Rotor Brake, or Rotor Tach? Have Airworthiness Certification questions? gyroplanes@aol.com or Visit www.calumetair.com
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#11
02-19-2007, 01:05 PM
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Michael, are you acquainted with this airport?
In taking off to the South...is there friendly territory just past the departure end of the runway? If not, my gut feeling is getting twitchy. I, personally, would need to ask the witness' a couple of pertinent questions. Doug and Tom have made a couple of salient points, I think crucial to the investigation however. Cheers
__________________
Harry Sieckmann RAF 2000 N324S "Imagination is more important than knowledge" Albert Einstein. Better to have and not need...than to need and not have.
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#12
02-19-2007, 01:25 PM
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Harry,
Yes, I fly out of Page airport too. There's plenty of room at the south end of the runway to pick a landing spot. One of the news stories said he took off from a field on the east side of the airport; I don't know what he might have been doing, or which field they are referring to. My guess (just a guess from watching the video) is that he impacted next to a road on the east side of the airport.
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Michael Guard Oklahoma City =============
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#14
02-19-2007, 02:03 PM
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very sorry my heart goes out to the Family
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#15
02-19-2007, 02:41 PM
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Sad news indeed. Kelly was a great guy.
He was a member of Chapter 20 when he lived in Louisiana.
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