What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
privacy data omittedWas having intermittent engine problems which he performed maintenance inorder to correct the problem. When all ground checks were found satisfactory, a test flight was performed. The pilot took off and climbed only 12 inches off runway center line. He flew full length of runway and as he approached the runway end, he pitched the gyroplane up to about 600 feet AGL when the engine quit. The pilot tried to turn back to the runway but had lost forward momentum and altitude rapidly. The airplane lost lift and dropped about 20 feet to the earth. The gyroplane sustained minor damage to the nose and left main gear.
As the FAA filed it
^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^WAS HAVING INTERMITTENT ENGINE PROBLEMS WHICH HE PERFORMED MAINTENANCE INORDER TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. WHEN ALL GROUND CHECKS WERE FOUND SATISFACTORY, A TEST FLIGHT WAS PERFORMED. THE PILOT TOOK OFF AND CLIMBED ONLY 12 INCHES OFF RUNWAY CENTER LINE. HE FLEW FULL LENGTH OF RUNWAY AND AS HE APPROACHED THE RUNWAY END, HE PITCHED THE GYROPLANE UP TO ABOUT 600 FEET AGL WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT TRIED TO TURN BACK TO THE RUNWAY BUT HAD LOST FORWARD MOMENTUM AND ALTITUDE RAPIDLY. THE AIRPLANE LOST LIFT AND DROPPED ABOUT 20 FEET TO THE EARTH. THE GYROPLANE SUSTAINED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE NOSE AND LEFT MAIN GEAR.