20150501006339A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Lathrop Steven A B8M · Ravenna, MI · May 1, 2015

Date: May 1, 2015 · 12:05 local
Place: Ravenna, MI
Airport: Muskegon
Phase of flight: Maneuver
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N5606X
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN15LA235
Reported as: Lathrop Steven A B8M
Reported engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot

N5606XRegistration cancelled Nov 5, 2015 · Lathrop Steven A B8MS/N 2 · Built 2007 Airframe modelLathrop Steven A B8M Engine modelAmateur-built UNKNOWN ENG

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Pilot struck powerlines while flying low over farm area. Rotor blade mast severed by powerline contact. Pilot was struck in face and helmet by powerlines. Gyroplane landed hard near road intersection and came to rest in adjacent ditch. Pic's low flight along with failure to clear powerlines resulted in serious injuries to the pilot and the gyroplane being destroyed.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT STRUCK POWERLINES WHILE FLYING LOW OVER FARM AREA. ROTOR BLADE MAST SEVERED BY POWERLINE CONTACT. PILOT WAS STRUCK IN FACE AND HELMET BY POWERLINES. GYROPLANE LANDED HARD NEAR ROAD INTERSECTION AND CAME TO REST IN ADJACENT DITCH. PIC'S LOW FLIGHT ALONG WITH FAILURE TO CLEAR POWERLINES RESULTED IN SERIOUS INJURIES TO THE PILOT AND THE GYROPLANE BEING DESTROYED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CEN15LA235Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportRavenna, MIA total loss of engine power due to carburetor icing.May 1, 2015 · Destroyed