What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft was on a local test flight and lost control after takeoff. (.4)the pilot reported that after takeoff the gyroplane pitched nose down and crashed onto the runway. He reported to the gyroplane kit manufacturer that the event occurred at an altitude of 25 to 30 feet, and that just before the occurrence he noted rotor RPM at 260 and airspeed at 40 knots. The aircraft flight manual gives normal operating range of rotor RPM as 275 to 310 RPM, and states that rotor RPM less than 270 must be avoided while flying. The pilot indicated on his accident report that no mechanical malfunction or failure was involved. The pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with airplane single-engine land and airplane multi-engine land ratings; he did not hold a rotorcraft-gyroplane rating but did possess a gyroplane solo logbook endorsement dated about 6 months before the accident. The pilot reported his total flight time as 18,000 hours, with 50 hours of gyroplane flight time.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT WAS ON A LOCAL TEST FLIGHT AND LOST CONTROL AFTER TAKEOFF. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF THE GYROPLANE PITCHED NOSE DOWN AND CRASHED ONTO THE RUNWAY. HE REPORTED TO THE GYROPLANE KIT MANUFACTURER THAT THE EVENT OCCURRED AT AN ALTITUDE OF 25 TO 30 FEET, AND THAT JUST BEFORE THE OCCURRENCE HE NOTED ROTOR RPM AT 260 AND AIRSPEED AT 40 KNOTS. THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL GIVES NORMAL OPERATING RANGE OF ROTOR RPM AS 275 TO 310 RPM, AND STATES THAT ROTOR RPM LESS THAN 270 MUST BE AVOIDED WHILE FLYING. THE PILOT INDICATED ON HIS ACCIDENT REPORT THAT NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS INVOLVED. THE PILOT HELD AN AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH AIRPLANE SINGLE-ENGINE LAND AND AIRPLANE MULTI-ENGINE LAND RATINGS; HE DID NOT HOLD A ROTORCRAFT-GYROPLANE RATING BUT DID POSSESS A GYROPLANE SOLO LOGBOOK ENDORSEMENT DATED ABOUT 6 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT REPORTED HIS TOTAL FLIGHT TIME AS 18,000 HOURS, WITH 50 HOURS OF GYROPLANE FLIGHT TIME.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.