What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 4, 2019, about 1200 eastern standard time, an experimental amateur-built TANGO2 gyroplane, N875FV, was substantially damaged when it impacted a field near Cedartown, Georgia. The sport pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local flight, which originated from polk county airport (4A4), Cedartown, Georgia, around 1130.
According to a friend of the pilot, the pilot was performing a test flight in order to mitigate a vibration in the gyroplane. The friend watched the pilot add fuel to the gyroplane, check the oil, and perform part of the preflight inspection before the friend continued working on other things around his hangar. Then, the friend watched the gyroplane takeoff, fly out of sight, and noted no issues with the gyroplane. He knew that the flight test would last about 15 minutes, so after 30 minutes had passed, he alerted authorities and went to look for the pilot. The wreckage was located later that day around 1330.
The main wreckage was located in a cotton field. The gyroplane impacted the field, and then came to rest inverted about 15 ft beyond the initial impact point. All major components of the gyroplane were located in the vicinity of the main wreckage. There was no evidence of post impact fire and an odor of fuel was noted at the accident site.
The aircraft was moved to a hanger at (4A4) polk county airport for post accident investigation. No mechanical issues were noted that may have contributed to the accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 4, 2019, ABOUT 1200 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT TANGO2 GYROPLANE, N875FV, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED A FIELD NEAR CEDARTOWN, GEORGIA. THE SPORT PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT, WHICH ORIGINATED FROM POLK COUNTY AIRPORT (4A4), CEDARTOWN, GEORGIA, AROUND 1130.
ACCORDING TO A FRIEND OF THE PILOT, THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING A TEST FLIGHT IN ORDER TO MITIGATE A VIBRATION IN THE GYROPLANE. THE FRIEND WATCHED THE PILOT ADD FUEL TO THE GYROPLANE, CHECK THE OIL, AND PERFORM PART OF THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION BEFORE THE FRIEND CONTINUED WORKING ON OTHER THINGS AROUND HIS HANGAR. THEN, THE FRIEND WATCHED THE GYROPLANE TAKEOFF, FLY OUT OF SIGHT, AND NOTED NO ISSUES WITH THE GYROPLANE. HE KNEW THAT THE FLIGHT TEST WOULD LAST ABOUT 15 MINUTES, SO AFTER 30 MINUTES HAD PASSED, HE ALERTED AUTHORITIES AND WENT TO LOOK FOR THE PILOT. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED LATER THAT DAY AROUND 1330.
THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IN A COTTON FIELD. THE GYROPLANE IMPACTED THE FIELD, AND THEN CAME TO REST INVERTED ABOUT 15 FT BEYOND THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. ALL MAJOR COMPONENTS OF THE GYROPLANE WERE LOCATED IN THE VICINITY OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF POST IMPACT FIRE AND AN ODOR OF FUEL WAS NOTED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.
THE AIRCRAFT WAS MOVED TO A HANGER AT (4A4) POLK COUNTY AIRPORT FOR POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION. NO MECHANICAL ISSUES WERE NOTED THAT MAY HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO 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.