What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On March 14, 2009, at 1016 eastern daylight time, an amateur built/experimental explorer coupe 2000, N5098L, experienced the loss operational control during taxiing, at kobe, in Okeechobee, Florida. As a result of the loss of control the aircraft taxied into the grass impacting the rotor blade in the grass off the left side of the taxiway. The gyrocopter swerved to the right on the taxiway and bloodstains were present on the taxiway where the pilot was ejected. The gyrocopter traveled 106 feet and rolled to the left. Nine propeller blade strikes were present on the taxiway. While sliding on its left side, the right main landing gear came off the taxiway with evidence of seven left main landing gear sidewall marks present on the taxiway. The gyrocopter continued forward 15 feet where the mast of the gyrocopter contacted the taxiway. The rotor blades remained attached to their respective rotor hub and were lying across the aft portion of the tail boom. The nose main landing gear, left and right main landing gear, and the tail wheel remained attached to the airframe. The crash debris line extended 230 feet. The gyrocopter came to rest on its left side on a heading of 080 degrees magnetic.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MARCH 14, 2009, AT 1016 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AMATEUR BUILT/EXPERIMENTAL EXPLORER COUPE 2000, N5098L, EXPERIENCED THE LOSS OPERATIONAL CONTROL DURING TAXIING, AT KOBE, IN OKEECHOBEE, FLORIDA. AS A RESULT OF THE LOSS OF CONTROL THE AIRCRAFT TAXIED INTO THE GRASS IMPACTING THE ROTOR BLADE IN THE GRASS OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE TAXIWAY. THE GYROCOPTER SWERVED TO THE RIGHT ON THE TAXIWAY AND BLOODSTAINS WERE PRESENT ON THE TAXIWAY WHERE THE PILOT WAS EJECTED. THE GYROCOPTER TRAVELED 106 FEET AND ROLLED TO THE LEFT. NINE PROPELLER BLADE STRIKES WERE PRESENT ON THE TAXIWAY. WHILE SLIDING ON ITS LEFT SIDE, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR CAME OFF THE TAXIWAY WITH EVIDENCE OF SEVEN LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR SIDEWALL MARKS PRESENT ON THE TAXIWAY. THE GYROCOPTER CONTINUED FORWARD 15 FEET WHERE THE MAST OF THE GYROCOPTER CONTACTED THE TAXIWAY. THE ROTOR BLADES REMAINED ATTACHED TO THEIR RESPECTIVE ROTOR HUB AND WERE LYING ACROSS THE AFT PORTION OF THE TAIL BOOM. THE NOSE MAIN LANDING GEAR, LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR, AND THE TAIL WHEEL REMAINED ATTACHED TO THE AIRFRAME. THE CRASH DEBRIS LINE EXTENDED 230 FEET. THE GYROCOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE ON A HEADING OF 080 DEGREES MAGNETIC.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.