What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On October 6, 2007, a two place mad max ii experimental amateur-built gyrocopter made several flights from Virginia tech montgomery executive airport (bcb) in Blacksburg, VA. The pilot and a passenger were intending pleasure flights to and around the mccoy, Virginia area. At some point between flights, the passenger made at least two calls, one to a relative and one to a friend. During the calls, the passenger said that the gyrocopter was having problems lifting properly and that the pilot was going to check the spark plug wires. On the accident flight, the pilot made an emergency transmission "engine out," "engine out," on the bcb UNICOM frequency 123.05. At 1322E, the gyrocopter crashed in the backyard of a residential area located at privacy data omitted. Witnesses responded and helped free the pilot from the burning wreckage. Local authorities and area residents responded and attempted to extinguish the flames where the passenger was seated.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON OCTOBER 6, 2007, A TWO PLACE MAD MAX II EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT GYROCOPTER MADE SEVERAL FLIGHTS FROM VIRGINIA TECH MONTGOMERY EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (BCB) IN BLACKSBURG, VA. THE PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE INTENDING PLEASURE FLIGHTS TO AND AROUND THE MCCOY, VIRGINIA AREA. AT SOME POINT BETWEEN FLIGHTS, THE PASSENGER MADE AT LEAST TWO CALLS, ONE TO A RELATIVE AND ONE TO A FRIEND. DURING THE CALLS, THE PASSENGER SAID THAT THE GYROCOPTER WAS HAVING PROBLEMS LIFTING PROPERLY AND THAT THE PILOT WAS GOING TO CHECK THE SPARK PLUG WIRES. ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT, THE PILOT MADE AN EMERGENCY TRANSMISSION "ENGINE OUT," "ENGINE OUT," ON THE BCB UNICOM FREQUENCY 123.05. AT 1322E, THE GYROCOPTER CRASHED IN THE BACKYARD OF A RESIDENTIAL AREA LOCATED AT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. WITNESSES RESPONDED AND HELPED FREE THE PILOT FROM THE BURNING WRECKAGE. LOCAL AUTHORITIES AND AREA RESIDENTS RESPONDED AND ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES WHERE THE PASSENGER WAS SEATED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.