What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot privacy data omitted stated he conducted a preflight inspection and no anomalies were noted. He further stated he checked the fuel and the gyrocopter had 5 gallons of fuel on board at takeoff. The pilot privacy data omitted stated he departed the airport at 1609 EST and flew to an area south east of the airport and climbed to 500 feet. He then checked the rotor speed, tachometer, throttle positions, and basic handling characteristics of the gyrocopter. Once he completed the checks he started flying over the bohicket river in cruise flight at 500 feet. The engine quit and the pilot privacy data omitted stated he turned on the fuel boost pump and attempted an engine restart. The engine started and quit again. The pilot privacy data omitted stated he switched fuel tanks and attempted another engine restart with negative results. He made an emergency landing into the river. Examination of the aircraft showed continuity of the flight controls, adequate engine compression, and normal spark plug wear. The main fuel tank cap was tight, the left and right auxiliary tank fuel tank caps were also tight. Approximately one ounce of fuel was found in the fuel lines and a small amount of water, less than one ounce, found in the carburetor bowl.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED HE CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AND NO ANOMALIES WERE NOTED. HE FURTHER STATED HE CHECKED THE FUEL AND THE GYROCOPTER HAD 5 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD AT TAKEOFF. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED HE DEPARTED THE AIRPORT AT 1609 EST AND FLEW TO AN AREA SOUTH EAST OF THE AIRPORT AND CLIMBED TO 500 FEET. HE THEN CHECKED THE ROTOR SPEED, TACHOMETER, THROTTLE POSITIONS, AND BASIC HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE GYROCOPTER. ONCE HE COMPLETED THE CHECKS HE STARTED FLYING OVER THE BOHICKET RIVER IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT 500 FEET. THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED HE TURNED ON THE FUEL BOOST PUMP AND ATTEMPTED AN ENGINE RESTART. THE ENGINE STARTED AND QUIT AGAIN. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS AND ATTEMPTED ANOTHER ENGINE RESTART WITH NEGATIVE RESULTS. HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING INTO THE RIVER. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT SHOWED CONTINUITY OF THE FLIGHT CONTROLS, ADEQUATE ENGINE COMPRESSION, AND NORMAL SPARK PLUG WEAR. THE MAIN FUEL TANK CAP WAS TIGHT, THE LEFT AND RIGHT AUXILIARY TANK FUEL TANK CAPS WERE ALSO TIGHT. APPROXIMATELY ONE OUNCE OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL LINES AND A SMALL AMOUNT OF WATER, LESS THAN ONE OUNCE, FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.