What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 8/11/09, at 1726 local, the non-certificated owner of an experimental gyrocopter, started the engine from the left seat with the aircraft positioned on the FBO ramp. An eyewitness located at the FBO doorway with an unobstructed view stated the following: on the fourth attempt to start the engine, the engine caught and instantly achieved a higher power setting; the aircraft instantly moved forward, unfettered by tie-downs or chocks: the aircraft gained speed in an arcing right hand 90 degree turn over 70 yds; the main rotor never rotated; the aircraft's bubble windshield impacted the left wingtip of a tied-down low-wing Piper aircraft in direct lateral alignment at approx. 20 mph; the wingtip penetrated through the gyrocopter's cockpit and the owner succumbed to blunt trauma injury to the head. The owner had no experience in the gyrocopter. There was no intention of flight.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 8/11/09, AT 1726 LOCAL, THE NON-CERTIFICATED OWNER OF AN EXPERIMENTAL GYROCOPTER, STARTED THE ENGINE FROM THE LEFT SEAT WITH THE AIRCRAFT POSITIONED ON THE FBO RAMP. AN EYEWITNESS LOCATED AT THE FBO DOORWAY WITH AN UNOBSTRUCTED VIEW STATED THE FOLLOWING: ON THE FOURTH ATTEMPT TO START THE ENGINE, THE ENGINE CAUGHT AND INSTANTLY ACHIEVED A HIGHER POWER SETTING; THE AIRCRAFT INSTANTLY MOVED FORWARD, UNFETTERED BY TIE-DOWNS OR CHOCKS: THE AIRCRAFT GAINED SPEED IN AN ARCING RIGHT HAND 90 DEGREE TURN OVER 70 YDS; THE MAIN ROTOR NEVER ROTATED; THE AIRCRAFT'S BUBBLE WINDSHIELD IMPACTED THE LEFT WINGTIP OF A TIED-DOWN LOW-WING PIPER AIRCRAFT IN DIRECT LATERAL ALIGNMENT AT APPROX. 20 MPH; THE WINGTIP PENETRATED THROUGH THE GYROCOPTER'S COCKPIT AND THE OWNER SUCCUMBED TO BLUNT TRAUMA INJURY TO THE HEAD. THE OWNER HAD NO EXPERIENCE IN THE GYROCOPTER. THERE WAS NO INTENTION OF FLIGHT.
Other aircraft in the event · 1
Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.