What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 5, 2020, at approximately 12:35 EDT, N72DE, an experimental amateur built gyrocopter, experienced an off airport landing approximately 1/8 of a mile north of the putnam county airport (kgpc). The aircraft was piloted by the registered owner, operating under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. Visual flight meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the event. The flight instructor and student passenger were uninjured.
At the time of this event, the aircraft was conducting a flight training operation under the provisions of 14 CFR part 91. The flight instructor and student were practicing take offs and landings down the runway. Following the third take off they proceeded to climb out to enter the traffic pattern. At approximately 700 feet AGL the engine began to lose power. The pilot ensured the throttle was at full power; a quick scan of the engine instruments indicated no abnormalities. The engine continued to lose power as the aircraft was losing altitude. The pilot landed the aircraft in a corn field north of the runway. Neither the pilot nor passenger suffered any injuries.
Damage to the aircraft was limited to the landing gear and landing gear attachment points.
An inspection of the aircraft engine and associated controls revealed no abnormalities. The fuel tank was ¾ full. Fuel was present in the carburetor. The engine air filter was clear of any obstructions. The carburetor inlet was clear. The engine had normal cylinder compression. The magnetos appeared to operate normally.
The temperature/dew point at the time of the event was conducive to moderate carburetor icing. An interview with pilot revealed that he did not apply carburetor heat when the engine began to lose power. The pilot stated that he did not think carburetor icing could occur at high ambient temperatures and full throttle settings.
At this time it is suspected that the engine suffered from carburetor icing. Once the landing gear is repaired, prior to flight, the engine will be tested to validate this supposition. If needed this report will be amended at a later date.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 5, 2020, AT APPROXIMATELY 12:35 EDT, N72DE, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT GYROCOPTER, EXPERIENCED AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING APPROXIMATELY 1/8 OF A MILE NORTH OF THE PUTNAM COUNTY AIRPORT (KGPC). THE AIRCRAFT WAS PILOTED BY THE REGISTERED OWNER, OPERATING UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL FLIGHT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT PASSENGER WERE UNINJURED.
AT THE TIME OF THIS EVENT, THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING A FLIGHT TRAINING OPERATION UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT WERE PRACTICING TAKE OFFS AND LANDINGS DOWN THE RUNWAY. FOLLOWING THE THIRD TAKE OFF THEY PROCEEDED TO CLIMB OUT TO ENTER THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. AT APPROXIMATELY 700 FEET AGL THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT ENSURED THE THROTTLE WAS AT FULL POWER; A QUICK SCAN OF THE ENGINE INSTRUMENTS INDICATED NO ABNORMALITIES. THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO LOSE POWER AS THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOSING ALTITUDE. THE PILOT LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN A CORN FIELD NORTH OF THE RUNWAY. NEITHER THE PILOT NOR PASSENGER SUFFERED ANY INJURIES.
DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS LIMITED TO THE LANDING GEAR AND LANDING GEAR ATTACHMENT POINTS.
AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE AND ASSOCIATED CONTROLS REVEALED NO ABNORMALITIES. THE FUEL TANK WAS ¾ FULL. FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE CARBURETOR. THE ENGINE AIR FILTER WAS CLEAR OF ANY OBSTRUCTIONS. THE CARBURETOR INLET WAS CLEAR. THE ENGINE HAD NORMAL CYLINDER COMPRESSION. THE MAGNETOS APPEARED TO OPERATE NORMALLY.
THE TEMPERATURE/DEW POINT AT THE TIME OF THE EVENT WAS CONDUCIVE TO MODERATE CARBURETOR ICING. AN INTERVIEW WITH PILOT REVEALED THAT HE DID NOT APPLY CARBURETOR HEAT WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT THINK CARBURETOR ICING COULD OCCUR AT HIGH AMBIENT TEMPERATURES AND FULL THROTTLE SETTINGS.
AT THIS TIME IT IS SUSPECTED THAT THE ENGINE SUFFERED FROM CARBURETOR ICING. ONCE THE LANDING GEAR IS REPAIRED, PRIOR TO FLIGHT, THE ENGINE WILL BE TESTED TO VALIDATE THIS SUPPOSITION. IF NEEDED THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED AT A LATER DATE.
Other reports on N72DE · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.