What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 28, 2017, about 1122 eastern daylight time, an amateur built gyroplane, N152AH, impacted a wooded area near Umatilla, Florida. The private pilot was fatally injured and the gyroplane was destroyed. The gyroplane was being operated under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight which originated about 1 hour 22 minutes earlier from bob white field airport (X61), zellwood, Florida.
According to the federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector who spoke with a person at the departure airport, the gyroplane was observed departing. After departure there was no further communication with the pilot. A witness at a nearby bee farm reported to the FAA inspector seeing the gyroplane fly over his position in a north-northwesterly direction. The witness reported the engine was running, followed by hearing 2 popping sounds, 1 large pop sound, and then the engine lost total power. At that time while about 50 to 60 ft above the tree tops, the witness observed a large main rotor blade separate. The gyroplane began descending and he lost sight but then heard an impact. He drove to the accident site and informed the property owner of the accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2017, ABOUT 1122 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AMATEUR BUILT GYROPLANE, N152AH, IMPACTED A WOODED AREA NEAR UMATILLA, FLORIDA. THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED AND THE GYROPLANE WAS DESTROYED. THE GYROPLANE WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT WHICH ORIGINATED ABOUT 1 HOUR 22 MINUTES EARLIER FROM BOB WHITE FIELD AIRPORT (X61), ZELLWOOD, FLORIDA.
ACCORDING TO THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION (FAA) INSPECTOR WHO SPOKE WITH A PERSON AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT, THE GYROPLANE WAS OBSERVED DEPARTING. AFTER DEPARTURE THERE WAS NO FURTHER COMMUNICATION WITH THE PILOT. A WITNESS AT A NEARBY BEE FARM REPORTED TO THE FAA INSPECTOR SEEING THE GYROPLANE FLY OVER HIS POSITION IN A NORTH-NORTHWESTERLY DIRECTION. THE WITNESS REPORTED THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING, FOLLOWED BY HEARING 2 POPPING SOUNDS, 1 LARGE POP SOUND, AND THEN THE ENGINE LOST TOTAL POWER. AT THAT TIME WHILE ABOUT 50 TO 60 FT ABOVE THE TREE TOPS, THE WITNESS OBSERVED A LARGE MAIN ROTOR BLADE SEPARATE. THE GYROPLANE BEGAN DESCENDING AND HE LOST SIGHT BUT THEN HEARD AN IMPACT. HE DROVE TO THE ACCIDENT SITE AND INFORMED THE PROPERTY OWNER OF THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.