What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) Lost engine power during departure from the Siskiyou County Airport, runway 350. Emergency landing was executed from 300 feet above surface just north of runway 350. Gyro copter landed in open field and impacted ground at approximately 35 knots. Left landing gear collapsed and caused the main rotors to hit the ground and then impacted the tail section. No injuries to pilot or passenger. Siskiyou County sheriff department responded, took photos and statements (see attachments). The owner/builder inspected the reduction gear drive coupling. The weld on the coupling was broken due to inadequate penetration during the welding process during assembly by the owner/builder. The broken coupling resulted in the engine unable to transfer torque to the rotor blade. Pilot michael johnson privacy data omitted owner peter nesbitt privacy data omitted
As the FAA filed it
(-23) LOST ENGINE POWER DURING DEPARTURE FROM THE SISKIYOU COUNTY AIRPORT, RUNWAY 350. EMERGENCY LANDING WAS EXECUTED FROM 300 FEET ABOVE SURFACE JUST NORTH OF RUNWAY 350. GYRO COPTER LANDED IN OPEN FIELD AND IMPACTED GROUND AT APPROXIMATELY 35 KNOTS. LEFT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND CAUSED THE MAIN ROTORS TO HIT THE GROUND AND THEN IMPACTED THE TAIL SECTION. NO INJURIES TO PILOT OR PASSENGER. SISKIYOU COUNTY SHERIFF DEPARTMENT RESPONDED, TOOK PHOTOS AND STATEMENTS (SEE ATTACHMENTS). THE OWNER/BUILDER INSPECTED THE REDUCTION GEAR DRIVE COUPLING. THE WELD ON THE COUPLING WAS BROKEN DUE TO INADEQUATE PENETRATION DURING THE WELDING PROCESS DURING ASSEMBLY BY THE OWNER/BUILDER. THE BROKEN COUPLING RESULTED IN THE ENGINE UNABLE TO TRANSFER TORQUE TO THE ROTOR BLADE. PILOT MICHAEL JOHNSON ^PRIVACY DATA O^ OWNER PETER NESBITT ^PRIVACY DATA O^