What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 18, 2021 at approximately 1534 local time, a Cavalon gyrocopter attempted to takeoff from a private residence approximately 7 miles north of the stroud municipal airport (sud), Oklahoma. The attempted takeoff was in the same direction as the prevailing wind and according to witnesses on the ground the aircraft never achieved a safe altitude for flight. The aircraft eventually made contact with a nearby farmers fence about a quarter mile from the takeoff point which caused the pilot to lose control and the aircraft tumbled over before finally coming to rest. The pilot was not wearing the aircraft seatbelt harness and was ejected out the front windshield and as a result was fatally injured. The aircraft sustained significant damage but was largely intact. Later investigation revealed that the pilot was not certificated but had received some training in the accident aircraft and was working on certification. Additionally, the aircraft was not holding a current registration as the deceased pilot who was also the owner of the aircraft had completed the necessary paperwork but had not submitted it for registration.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 18, 2021 AT APPROXIMATELY 1534 LOCAL TIME, A CAVALON GYROCOPTER ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF FROM A PRIVATE RESIDENCE APPROXIMATELY 7 MILES NORTH OF THE STROUD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (SUD), OKLAHOMA. THE ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF WAS IN THE SAME DIRECTION AS THE PREVAILING WIND AND ACCORDING TO WITNESSES ON THE GROUND THE AIRCRAFT NEVER ACHIEVED A SAFE ALTITUDE FOR FLIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT EVENTUALLY MADE CONTACT WITH A NEARBY FARMERS FENCE ABOUT A QUARTER MILE FROM THE TAKEOFF POINT WHICH CAUSED THE PILOT TO LOSE CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT TUMBLED OVER BEFORE FINALLY COMING TO REST. THE PILOT WAS NOT WEARING THE AIRCRAFT SEATBELT HARNESS AND WAS EJECTED OUT THE FRONT WINDSHIELD AND AS A RESULT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE BUT WAS LARGELY INTACT. LATER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT WAS NOT CERTIFICATED BUT HAD RECEIVED SOME TRAINING IN THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT AND WAS WORKING ON CERTIFICATION. ADDITIONALLY, THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT HOLDING A CURRENT REGISTRATION AS THE DECEASED PILOT WHO WAS ALSO THE OWNER OF THE AIRCRAFT HAD COMPLETED THE NECESSARY PAPERWORK BUT HAD NOT SUBMITTED IT FOR REGISTRATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.