20220522008139A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bruce R Prouse M24 ORION PLUS · Cape Girardeau, MO · May 22, 2022

Date: May 22, 2022 · 08:03 local
Place: Cape Girardeau, MO
Airport: Cape Girardeau Reginal Airport
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N590DM
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR22FA184
Reported as: Bruce R Prouse M24 Orion Plus
Reported engine: ROTAX 915 IS
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 350 total

N590DMRegistered now · Bruce R Prouse M24 ORION PLUSS/N 24213475 · Built 2022 Airframe modelBruce R Prouse M24 ORION PLUS Engine modelRotax 915 IS series4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

On may 22, 2022, orion magni 24 gyroplane N590DM departed Cape Girardeau regional airport from runway 02 to the north west on a VFR flight. Approximately 2 minutes into the flight the aircraft requested to return to the airport. No emergency was reported. The aircraft was instructed to enter the downwind and was cleared to land on runway 02. It was reported that on the downwind leg of the approach the aircraft began to fall to the ground. Several witnesses recall that the main rotor was not turning. The aircraft impacted the ground 1000? West of runway 10. Examination of the site indicates the main rotor contacted the pusher prop while the engine was running causing the propeller blade ends to be severed. The rotor also made contact with the right side horizontal stabilizer liberating it from the main empennage structure. The pilot was fatally injured.

As the FAA filed it

ON MAY 22, 2022, ORION MAGNI 24 GYROPLANE N590DM DEPARTED CAPE GIRARDEAU REGIONAL AIRPORT FROM RUNWAY 02 TO THE NORTH WEST ON A VFR FLIGHT. APPROXIMATELY 2 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT REQUESTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. NO EMERGENCY WAS REPORTED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS INSTRUCTED TO ENTER THE DOWNWIND AND WAS CLEARED TO LAND ON RUNWAY 02. IT WAS REPORTED THAT ON THE DOWNWIND LEG OF THE APPROACH THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO FALL TO THE GROUND. SEVERAL WITNESSES RECALL THAT THE MAIN ROTOR WAS NOT TURNING. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND 1000? WEST OF RUNWAY 10. EXAMINATION OF THE SITE INDICATES THE MAIN ROTOR CONTACTED THE PUSHER PROP WHILE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING CAUSING THE PROPELLER BLADE ENDS TO BE SEVERED. THE ROTOR ALSO MADE CONTACT WITH THE RIGHT SIDE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER LIBERATING IT FROM THE MAIN EMPENNAGE STRUCTURE. THE PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR22FA184Accident · 1 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportCape Girardeau, MOThe pilot’s failure to maintain controlled flight, which resulted in a hard left roll, excessive blade flapping and a subsequent in-flight separation of the right horizontal stabilizer.May 22, 2022 · Substantial damage