Pilot Was Said To Be Practicing Takeoffs And Landings At Scappoose Industrial Airpark

A gyrocopter pilot practicing takeoffs and landings from Scappoose Industrial Airpark in Scappoose, OR was fatally injured when the aircraft went down last Saturday. He reportedly is survived by a wife and eight children.

The Daily News of Longview, WA, reports that 59-year-old James LaFayette was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which was just southwest of the airpark. An NTSB official at the scene said it was not clear that LaFayette had enough training to be flying the aircraft solo.

The aircraft was reportedly manufactured by Sport Copter of Scappoose, OR, which is located at the airpark. But company president Jim Vanek said that LaFayette had purchased his aircraft used from a private individual. Vanek said the pilot would have needed a pilot's license and permission to solo from an instructor, and he could not have flown solo on a student pilot certificate.

There are very few details about the accident. The NTSB has issued a call for anyone who has any information about the accident to contact them at eyewitnessreport@ntsb.gov.

LaFayette's wife Molly told The Oregonian newspaper that learning to fly had been a lifelong dream for him.

(Sport Copter autogyro pictured in file photo. Not accident aircraft)

FMI: www.ntsb.gov