What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot made a downwind, mid-field departure at High Valley Airpark (GA87) Suches, GA. During climb out the pilot noticed the angle of climb was more shallow than normal. He attributed this to a 5-10 knot tail wind, being fully loaded, and operating at a High elevation. He became concerned about clearing the trees at the end of the runway and elected to begin a right turn into the wind. While in the turn, he was unable to maintain altitude and performed an off-airport landing into a field. The gyrocopter was still in the right turn at touchdown and rolled onto its right side. The pilot accepted responsibility and stated there were no airworthiness issues with the gyrocopter.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT MADE A DOWNWIND, MID-FIELD DEPARTURE AT HIGH VALLEY AIRPARK (GA87) SUCHES, GA. DURING CLIMB OUT THE PILOT NOTICED THE ANGLE OF CLIMB WAS MORE SHALLOW THAN NORMAL. HE ATTRIBUTED THIS TO A 5-10 KNOT TAIL WIND, BEING FULLY LOADED, AND OPERATING AT A HIGH ELEVATION. HE BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT CLEARING THE TREES AT THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND ELECTED TO BEGIN A RIGHT TURN INTO THE WIND. WHILE IN THE TURN, HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE AND PERFORMED AN OFF-AIRPORT LANDING INTO A FIELD. THE GYROCOPTER WAS STILL IN THE RIGHT TURN AT TOUCHDOWN AND ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE PILOT ACCEPTED RESPONSIBILITY AND STATED THERE WERE NO AIRWORTHINESS ISSUES WITH THE GYROCOPTER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.