What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot, privacy data omitted only remembers that the gyroplane was bouncing during the takeoff roll, and then tipped over. privacy data omitted Also stated that the winds were strong and gusty that day, and he attempted to takeoff into the wind. An eyewitness to the accident stated that he saw the gyroplane taxi out to runway 13 for takeoff. The engine sounded normal. He then noted that the gyro lined up against the right side of runway 13 at about the 5700-foot mark and commenced a takeoff roll diagonally toward the left side (heading 110 degrees.) It then rolled past the north side of the runway markers, turned right to parallel runway 13, and continued the takeoff roll. The gyro eventually ran out of runway and into a shallow depression and the elevated road. It then flipped over at least two times while crossing the road and descended the embankment toward the canal.
It appears that privacy data omitted lost control of N412MF during a takeoff attempt possibly due to incorrect control inputs and aggravated by strong gusty winds. An additional aggravating factor may be that the takeoff attempt was initiated with only several hundred feet of runway remaining. Note: the maximum wind limitations and required runway lengths required for this aircraft have not been determined at the time of this report.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ONLY REMEMBERS THAT THE GYROPLANE WAS BOUNCING DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, AND THEN TIPPED OVER. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ALSO STATED THAT THE WINDS WERE STRONG AND GUSTY THAT DAY, AND HE ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF INTO THE WIND. AN EYEWITNESS TO THE ACCIDENT STATED THAT HE SAW THE GYROPLANE TAXI OUT TO RUNWAY 13 FOR TAKEOFF. THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL. HE THEN NOTED THAT THE GYRO LINED UP AGAINST THE RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY 13 AT ABOUT THE 5700-FOOT MARK AND COMMENCED A TAKEOFF ROLL DIAGONALLY TOWARD THE LEFT SIDE (HEADING 110 DEGREES.) IT THEN ROLLED PAST THE NORTH SIDE OF THE RUNWAY MARKERS, TURNED RIGHT TO PARALLEL RUNWAY 13, AND CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF ROLL. THE GYRO EVENTUALLY RAN OUT OF RUNWAY AND INTO A SHALLOW DEPRESSION AND THE ELEVATED ROAD. IT THEN FLIPPED OVER AT LEAST TWO TIMES WHILE CROSSING THE ROAD AND DESCENDED THE EMBANKMENT TOWARD THE CANAL.
IT APPEARS THAT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ LOST CONTROL OF N412MF DURING A TAKEOFF ATTEMPT POSSIBLY DUE TO INCORRECT CONTROL INPUTS AND AGGRAVATED BY STRONG GUSTY WINDS. AN ADDITIONAL AGGRAVATING FACTOR MAY BE THAT THE TAKEOFF ATTEMPT WAS INITIATED WITH ONLY SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET OF RUNWAY REMAINING. NOTE: THE MAXIMUM WIND LIMITATIONS AND REQUIRED RUNWAY LENGTHS REQUIRED FOR THIS AIRCRAFT HAVE NOT BEEN DETERMINED AT THE TIME OF THIS REPORT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.