19991023031529I

Incident · Substantial damage

FAA incident report · Aircraft · Barneston, NE · October 23, 1999

Date: October 23, 1999 · 15:09 local
Place: Barneston, NE
Phase of flight: Takeoff Ground Roll
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: NONE
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 30 total30 in this make and model

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) This uncertified individual was attempting a takeoff in an uncertified, unregistered ultralight gyrocopter. When he applied excessive nose up pitch control the vehicle over rotated. The rotor struck the ground to the rear of the vehicle. The vehicle left the ground but immediately returned with sufficient force to cause substantial damage to its structure.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THIS UNCERTIFIED INDIVIDUAL WAS ATTEMPTING A TAKEOFF IN AN UNCERTIFIED, UNREGISTERED ULTRALIGHT GYROCOPTER. WHEN HE APPLIED EXCESSIVE NOSE UP PITCH CONTROL THE VEHICLE OVER ROTATED. THE ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND TO THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE LEFT THE GROUND BUT IMMEDIATELY RETURNED WITH SUFFICIENT FORCE TO CAUSE SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO ITS STRUCTURE.