What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Vibration returning to airport. Distracted trying to locate source. Crashed in open field one mile from 1C9 (.4)the pilot reported that he felt a strong vibration from the main rotor. He stated that the engine was running fine and opined that the vibration may have been caused by an uncoordinated turn. He further stated that 'he spent too much time trying to find out the source of the vibration and forgot to fly the [aircraft].' At this time he was about 200 feet AGL and didn't feel that he had enough time to recover any altitude, so he decided to slow [himself] down by landing in an area of bushes. The aircraft then collided with the terrain. The pilot holds a private pilot certificate with single and multiengine land ratings. The pilot reported that he had received approximately 9 hours of dual instruction in helicopters, all in the accident aircraft. This was the pilot's second solo flight in the accident aircraft. (-23)privacy data omitted said he departed from the Hollister airport, planning to flyi the gyroplane for about 10 minutes. He said he entered a wide base leg in the airport traffic pattern when he felt what he believed was rotor vibration. While attempting to locate the source of the bibration, privacy data omitted said he became distracted and began to experience pilot-induced oscillation and simultaneous loss of airspeed. The aircraft then crashed approximately one mile from the airport.
As the FAA filed it
VIBRATION RETURNING TO AIRPORT. DISTRACTED TRYING TO LOCATE SOURCE. CRASHED IN OPEN FIELD ONE MILE FROM 1C9 (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE FELT A STRONG VIBRATION FROM THE MAIN ROTOR. HE STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING FINE AND OPINED THAT THE VIBRATION MAY HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY AN UNCOORDINATED TURN. HE FURTHER STATED THAT 'HE SPENT TOO MUCH TIME TRYING TO FIND OUT THE SOURCE OF THE VIBRATION AND FORGOT TO FLY THE [AIRCRAFT].' AT THIS TIME HE WAS ABOUT 200 FEET AGL AND DIDN'T FEEL THAT HE HAD ENOUGH TIME TO RECOVER ANY ALTITUDE, SO HE DECIDED TO SLOW [HIMSELF] DOWN BY LANDING IN AN AREA OF BUSHES. THE AIRCRAFT THEN COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE PILOT HOLDS A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH SINGLE AND MULTIENGINE LAND RATINGS. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD RECEIVED APPROXIMATELY 9 HOURS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION IN HELICOPTERS, ALL IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S SECOND SOLO FLIGHT IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT. (-23)^PRIVACY D^ SAID HE DEPARTED FROM THE HOLLISTER AIRPORT, PLANNING TO FLYI THE GYROPLANE FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES. HE SAID HE ENTERED A WIDE BASE LEG IN THE AIRPORT TRAFFIC PATTERN WHEN HE FELT WHAT HE BELIEVED WAS ROTOR VIBRATION. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE BIBRATION, ^PRIVACY D^ SAID HE BECAME DISTRACTED AND BEGAN TO EXPERIENCE PILOT-INDUCED OSCILLATION AND SIMULTANEOUS LOSS OF AIRSPEED. THE AIRCRAFT THEN CRASHED APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE FROM THE AIRPORT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.