What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Failed to correct for torque lost control and landed hard. (.4)the accident occurred during the student pilot's first day flying his gyrocopter after installation of a new, more powerful engine. The pilot reported that because of a strong left turning tendency noted during an earlier flight, he had adjusted the rudder trim tab and the trim springs. On the accident flight, approaching the airstrip, the pilot lost directional control upon application of full engine power to arrest the descent. The gyrocopter turned 90 degrees left and crashed into a sugar cane field. The FAA coordinator reported that its examination of the pilot's personal flight record logbook indicated the pilot had last received dual flight instruction in November 1996. The pilot's last 90-DAY solo flying endorsement was signed by his certified flight instructor (CFI) in April 1997. (-23) while practicing approaches, student pilot failed to properly correct for torque. Student lost control of aircraft, which resulted in a hard landing that caused substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
FAILED TO CORRECT FOR TORQUE LOST CONTROL AND LANDED HARD. (.4)THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE STUDENT PILOT'S FIRST DAY FLYING HIS GYROCOPTER AFTER INSTALLATION OF A NEW, MORE POWERFUL ENGINE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT BECAUSE OF A STRONG LEFT TURNING TENDENCY NOTED DURING AN EARLIER FLIGHT, HE HAD ADJUSTED THE RUDDER TRIM TAB AND THE TRIM SPRINGS. ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, APPROACHING THE AIRSTRIP, THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL UPON APPLICATION OF FULL ENGINE POWER TO ARREST THE DESCENT. THE GYROCOPTER TURNED 90 DEGREES LEFT AND CRASHED INTO A SUGAR CANE FIELD. THE FAA COORDINATOR REPORTED THAT ITS EXAMINATION OF THE PILOT'S PERSONAL FLIGHT RECORD LOGBOOK INDICATED THE PILOT HAD LAST RECEIVED DUAL FLIGHT INSTRUCTION IN NOVEMBER 1996. THE PILOT'S LAST 90-DAY SOLO FLYING ENDORSEMENT WAS SIGNED BY HIS CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) IN APRIL 1997. (-23) WHILE PRACTICING APPROACHES, STUDENT PILOT FAILED TO PROPERLY CORRECT FOR TORQUE. STUDENT LOST CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING THAT CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.