What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
High speed taxi in tailwind. Flipped over inverted. Non certificated pilot.(.4)while taxiing the gyrocopter, the pilot encountered a gust of wind resulting in a loss of control of the aircraft. The gyrocopter subsequently nosed over and came to rest inverted. The collision with the ground resulted in bending of the main rotor blades, rear propeller blades broken off and all structural components of the gyroplane bent and twisted. The pilot received multiple lacerations as a result of the accident. The pilot's lack of proper training and experience contributed to his inability to control the aircraft resulting in the accident. (-23) on July 5, 1998, at approximately 1700 hours, uncertificated pilot kevin orf, dob 09/25/67, was operating a registered benson rotorcraft model B-8M, (N2289V) at Rotonda airport located at Placida, Florida, VFR weather prevailed. The flight had originated about 10 minutes prior to the accident. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the aircraft was substantially damaged. According to the pilot, he was taxiing too fast down wind, encountered a gust of wind and lost control of the aircraft causing it to crash into t he ground. The pilot was operating this aircraft outside the parameters of the federal aviation regulations.
As the FAA filed it
HIGH SPEED TAXI IN TAILWIND. FLIPPED OVER INVERTED. NON CERTIFICATED PILOT.(.4)WHILE TAXIING THE GYROCOPTER, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE GYROCOPTER SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE COLLISION WITH THE GROUND RESULTED IN BENDING OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES, REAR PROPELLER BLADES BROKEN OFF AND ALL STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS OF THE GYROPLANE BENT AND TWISTED. THE PILOT RECEIVED MULTIPLE LACERATIONS AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT'S LACK OF PROPER TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE CONTRIBUTED TO HIS INABILITY TO CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT RESULTING IN THE ACCIDENT. (-23) ON JULY 5, 1998, AT APPROXIMATELY 1700 HOURS, UNCERTIFICATED PILOT KEVIN ORF, DOB 09/25/67, WAS OPERATING A REGISTERED BENSON ROTORCRAFT MODEL B-8M, (N2289V) AT ROTONDA AIRPORT LOCATED AT PLACIDA, FLORIDA, VFR WEATHER PREVAILED. THE FLIGHT HAD ORIGINATED ABOUT 10 MINUTES PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS TAXIING TOO FAST DOWN WIND, ENCOUNTERED A GUST OF WIND AND LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT CAUSING IT TO CRASH INTO T HE GROUND. THE PILOT WAS OPERATING THIS AIRCRAFT OUTSIDE THE PARAMETERS OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION REGULATIONS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.