# Accident 20171202022559A: Kevin Leue SPARROW HAWK, Hernando, MS, December 2, 2017

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 2, 2017, 17:00 local time
- Place: Hernando, MS
- Airport: Eagles Ridge
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Unknown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.7967° N, 89.9208° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.7967&lon=-89.9208&mi=10
- Aircraft: N481ZK, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N481ZK-2018-07-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Kevin Leue SPARROW HAWK (registry code 05632AE, https://openairdocs.org/model/kevin-leue-sparrow-hawk) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Subaru ALL MDLS A/B (registry code 59050, https://openairdocs.org/engine/subaru-all-mdls-a-b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: KEVIN LEUE SPARROW HAWK
- Reported engine: SUBARU ALL MDLS A/B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Sport pilot, student
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA18LA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18LA039) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20171202022559A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON DECEMBER 02, 2017, A AMATEUR BUILT GYROCOPTER CRASHED INTO A DENSELY WOODED AREA IN DESOTO COUNTY, MS APPROXIMATELY 1600 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY AND SUBSEQUENTLY CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED. A SINGULAR PERSON INTERVIEWED HAPPENED TO BE HUNTING IN THE WOODS NOT FAR FROM THE CRASH SCENE STATED THAT HE HEARD A BANG WHICH HE PASSED OFF AS A GUN SHOT FROM ANOTHER HUNTER. THE INDIVIDUAL PROCEEDED TO LEAVE THE WOODS AT DARK, APPROXIMATELY 17:15 AND SAW WHAT THE THOUGHT WAS A GRASS FIRE. HE THEN WENT TO A NEARBY HOUSE AND CALLED 911. UPON ARRIVAL, RESPONDING TO WHAT THE FIRE DEPARTMENT THOUGHT WAS A BRUSH FIRE, THE FIRE FIGHTING PERSONNEL REALIZED ONCE THEY GOT CLOSE ENOUGH THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN AIRCRAFT CRASH. IT WAS AT THAT POINT THAT THE ACCIDENT WAS REPORTED TO THE FAA. THE AIRCRAFT AND FATALITIES WERE BADLY BURNED DUE TO THE POST CRASH FIRE. THE AIRCRAFT DATA PLATE WAS FOUND, BUT UNREADABLE. THE IDENTITY OF THE FATALITIES AND AIRCRAFT WERE CORROBORATED DUE TO A MISSING AIRCRAFT FROM THE EAGLE'S RIDGE AIRPORT. EXAMINATION OF THE TREES INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED AT A RAPID RATE AT APPROXIMATELY A 75 DEGREE ANGLE TO TERRAIN. THE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR ALSO INDICATED THAT IT IMPACTED ON ITS LEFT HAND SIDE. A SEARCH FOR PILOT AND AIRCRAFT LOGBOOKS WAS CONDUCTED AND STILL CONTINUES. IT MAY BECOME CLEAR THAT THE RECORDS WERE IN THE AIRCRAFT AND BURNED. AN AMENDMENT TO THIS REPORT WILL BE MADE AS THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA18LA039](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA18LA039), Dec 2, 2017: Kevin Leue Sparrow Hawk (N481ZK), Hernando, MS, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: Impact with trees and terrain for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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