What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On August 16, 1999, at 1438 central daylight time, a hudson Avenger gyrocopter, N4088X, piloted by a private pilot and a student pilot, was destroyed on impact with a bean field approximately 1,000 feet south of the Lansing Municipal Airport, Lansing, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. Both pilots sustained fatal injuries. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. Pieces of the vertical stabilizer(s) were located along a 300 foot path north of the main wreckage. (-23)shortly after takeoff,the aircraft pitched up abruptly,nosed over and became inverted. At approximately 100' one occupant was either thrown, or jumped from the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON AUGUST 16, 1999, AT 1438 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A HUDSON AVENGER GYROCOPTER, N4088X, PILOTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT AND A STUDENT PILOT, WAS DESTROYED ON IMPACT WITH A BEAN FIELD APPROXIMATELY 1,000 FEET SOUTH OF THE LANSING MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, LANSING, ILLINOIS. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE 14 CFR PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS NOT OPERATING ON A FLIGHT PLAN. BOTH PILOTS SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. THE LOCAL FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. PIECES OF THE VERTICAL STABILIZER(S) WERE LOCATED ALONG A 300 FOOT PATH NORTH OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE. (-23)SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF,THE AIRCRAFT PITCHED UP ABRUPTLY,NOSED OVER AND BECAME INVERTED. AT APPROXIMATELY 100' ONE OCCUPANT WAS EITHER THROWN, OR JUMPED FROM THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.