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20220611010319A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Walter S Johnson III AR-1 · Butler, PA · June 11, 2022

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 11, 2022 · 12:35 local
Place
Butler, PA
Airport
Butler County/K W Scholter Fie
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Departure Roll
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N688G
NTSB investigation
NTSBERA22LA269
Reported as
Walter S Johnson III AR-1
Reported engine
ROTAX 912ULS series
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Sport pilot, student
Pilot’s flight hours
332 total330 in this make and model8 in the last 90 days

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.

During departure experienced blade flap causing the main rotor to strike the propeller and tail. The tail separated from the aircraft and the three propeller blades were damaged at the tips.

Statement from the pilot is as follows regarding the facts of the event:

"On 11 June 2022 I was flying children as part of our local privacy data omitted. I was preparing to fly my fourth passenger of the day at about 1230 local. We would be departing on btp's runway 26. The wind was just left of centerline; perhaps 220 at 5 knots. It was a warm, beautiful, clear day and the runway conditions were dry. I pre-rotated my rotor blades as usual but as I began my takeoff roll they struck both the tail assembly and propeller blades. The aircraft veered to the left and we departed the runway. By the time I got the engine off and gyro stopped we were about 100' into the grass on the left side of the runway; perhaps 200' beyond the numbers. My passenger and I remained in the gyro while the blades spun down and stopped. We both exited the aircraft. Neither of us suffered any injuries."

As the FAA filed it

DURING DEPARTURE EXPERIENCED BLADE FLAP CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR TO STRIKE THE PROPELLER AND TAIL. THE TAIL SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND THE THREE PROPELLER BLADES WERE DAMAGED AT THE TIPS.

STATEMENT FROM THE PILOT IS AS FOLLOWS REGARDING THE FACTS OF THE EVENT:

"ON 11 JUNE 2022 I WAS FLYING CHILDREN AS PART OF OUR LOCAL ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. I WAS PREPARING TO FLY MY FOURTH PASSENGER OF THE DAY AT ABOUT 1230 LOCAL. WE WOULD BE DEPARTING ON BTP'S RUNWAY 26. THE WIND WAS JUST LEFT OF CENTERLINE; PERHAPS 220 AT 5 KNOTS. IT WAS A WARM, BEAUTIFUL, CLEAR DAY AND THE RUNWAY CONDITIONS WERE DRY. I PRE-ROTATED MY ROTOR BLADES AS USUAL BUT AS I BEGAN MY TAKEOFF ROLL THEY STRUCK BOTH THE TAIL ASSEMBLY AND PROPELLER BLADES. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT AND WE DEPARTED THE RUNWAY. BY THE TIME I GOT THE ENGINE OFF AND GYRO STOPPED WE WERE ABOUT 100' INTO THE GRASS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY; PERHAPS 200' BEYOND THE NUMBERS. MY PASSENGER AND I REMAINED IN THE GYRO WHILE THE BLADES SPUN DOWN AND STOPPED. WE BOTH EXITED THE AIRCRAFT. NEITHER OF US SUFFERED ANY INJURIES."

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 ERA22LA269Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportButler, PAThe pilot’s failure to monitor rotor disk speed on takeoff, which resulted in blade flapping and the main rotor blades striking the gyroplane’s tail assembly.Jun 11, 2022 · Substantial damage