What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On may 10, 2003, at 9:45 local time, a raf 2000GTX, N9DQ, registered to michael a. brown, was taking off on runway 9 at Punta Gorda, Florida (pgd). During take off the pilot reported he was at approximately 50 miles per hour airspeed and approximately 200 RPM for the rotor when he stated he encountered blade flap. The pilot stated blade flap was what happens in a gyrocopter when the rotor speed is too slow for the airspeed indicated. The pilot stated he heard a clunk. The pilot stated he reduced the power then and lowered the blades and rolled to a stop. The pilot stated he did not know anything was wrong until he got out of the aircraft and saw the rotor blades and tower were bent over. The pilot stated the wind sock was pointing down runway 15, but he elected to depart on 9 so he would not interfere with the aircraft in the traffic pattern. The winds were 140 @ 05 knots. The main rotor struck runway 9, 10 times at approximately 15 feet intervals. The aircraft then proceeded another 615 feet where it stopped off the left side of the runway. The pilot stated he may have inadvertently performed a maneuver that may have caused this accident.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MAY 10, 2003, AT 9:45 LOCAL TIME, A RAF 2000GTX, N9DQ, REGISTERED TO MICHAEL A. BROWN, WAS TAKING OFF ON RUNWAY 9 AT PUNTA GORDA, FLORIDA (PGD). DURING TAKE OFF THE PILOT REPORTED HE WAS AT APPROXIMATELY 50 MILES PER HOUR AIRSPEED AND APPROXIMATELY 200 RPM FOR THE ROTOR WHEN HE STATED HE ENCOUNTERED BLADE FLAP. THE PILOT STATED BLADE FLAP WAS WHAT HAPPENS IN A GYROCOPTER WHEN THE ROTOR SPEED IS TOO SLOW FOR THE AIRSPEED INDICATED. THE PILOT STATED HE HEARD A CLUNK. THE PILOT STATED HE REDUCED THE POWER THEN AND LOWERED THE BLADES AND ROLLED TO A STOP. THE PILOT STATED HE DID NOT KNOW ANYTHING WAS WRONG UNTIL HE GOT OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND SAW THE ROTOR BLADES AND TOWER WERE BENT OVER. THE PILOT STATED THE WIND SOCK WAS POINTING DOWN RUNWAY 15, BUT HE ELECTED TO DEPART ON 9 SO HE WOULD NOT INTERFERE WITH THE AIRCRAFT IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. THE WINDS WERE 140 @ 05 KNOTS. THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK RUNWAY 9, 10 TIMES AT APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET INTERVALS. THE AIRCRAFT THEN PROCEEDED ANOTHER 615 FEET WHERE IT STOPPED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED HE MAY HAVE INADVERTENTLY PERFORMED A MANEUVER THAT MAY HAVE CAUSED THIS ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.