What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On December 23, 2025, at 1315 local time, the pilot in command (PIC) of N396S, an experimental amateur-built eclipse 10, was involved in an event at Morris municipal airport (C09), Morris, IL. The flight was operated under 14 CFR part 91, and the weather conditions were VMC, with no notable meteorological impediments reported.
The incident occurred following a series of touch-and-go landings and pattern work at C09, after which the PIC proceeded to a designated practice area for slow flight maneuvers, turns around a point (t.a.p.), climbs, and descents. After successfully returning to C09 and completing a full-stop landing on runway 36, the PIC decided to perform an additional takeoff and landing with the rotor spinning.
During the takeoff roll, the PIC noticed an unusual sound and observed that the rotor RPM was below the required level for safe takeoff. The rotor then began to flap, causing the aircraft to tip onto its right side between the threshold and the 1000-foot mark of runway 36.
The aircraft sustained substantial damage, including a shattered three-bladed composite propeller, scored and fractured main rotor tips, bent control rods, and damage to the empennage. The canopy was cracked, and the right main landing gear was found to be flat.
The PIC, who holds a sport pilot certificate with approximately 400 hours of flight time in light sport aircraft, including 53 hours in the eclipse 10, was uninjured.
During the debrief, the PIC stated it was likely he did not have sufficient rotor RPM during the takeoff roll, which likely caused the rotor flap. The manufacturer’s pilot operating handbook (POH) warns against initiating takeoff with rotor RPM below 150, and emphasizes that a high level of skill is required for takeoffs with rotor RPM between 150-200. It is probable that the inadequate rotor RPM contributed to the rotor flap, but it remains unclear whether the tire became flat before or after the aircraft tipped over.
As the FAA filed it
ON DECEMBER 23, 2025, AT 1315 LOCAL TIME, THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) OF N396S, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT ECLIPSE 10, WAS INVOLVED IN AN EVENT AT MORRIS MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (C09), MORRIS, IL. THE FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91, AND THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE VMC, WITH NO NOTABLE METEOROLOGICAL IMPEDIMENTS REPORTED.
THE INCIDENT OCCURRED FOLLOWING A SERIES OF TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS AND PATTERN WORK AT C09, AFTER WHICH THE PIC PROCEEDED TO A DESIGNATED PRACTICE AREA FOR SLOW FLIGHT MANEUVERS, TURNS AROUND A POINT (T.A.P.), CLIMBS, AND DESCENTS. AFTER SUCCESSFULLY RETURNING TO C09 AND COMPLETING A FULL-STOP LANDING ON RUNWAY 36, THE PIC DECIDED TO PERFORM AN ADDITIONAL TAKEOFF AND LANDING WITH THE ROTOR SPINNING.
DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PIC NOTICED AN UNUSUAL SOUND AND OBSERVED THAT THE ROTOR RPM WAS BELOW THE REQUIRED LEVEL FOR SAFE TAKEOFF. THE ROTOR THEN BEGAN TO FLAP, CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO TIP ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE BETWEEN THE THRESHOLD AND THE 1000-FOOT MARK OF RUNWAY 36.
THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE, INCLUDING A SHATTERED THREE-BLADED COMPOSITE PROPELLER, SCORED AND FRACTURED MAIN ROTOR TIPS, BENT CONTROL RODS, AND DAMAGE TO THE EMPENNAGE. THE CANOPY WAS CRACKED, AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS FOUND TO BE FLAT.
THE PIC, WHO HOLDS A SPORT PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH APPROXIMATELY 400 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME IN LIGHT SPORT AIRCRAFT, INCLUDING 53 HOURS IN THE ECLIPSE 10, WAS UNINJURED.
DURING THE DEBRIEF, THE PIC STATED IT WAS LIKELY HE DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ROTOR RPM DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, WHICH LIKELY CAUSED THE ROTOR FLAP. THE MANUFACTURER’S PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK (POH) WARNS AGAINST INITIATING TAKEOFF WITH ROTOR RPM BELOW 150, AND EMPHASIZES THAT A HIGH LEVEL OF SKILL IS REQUIRED FOR TAKEOFFS WITH ROTOR RPM BETWEEN 150-200. IT IS PROBABLE THAT THE INADEQUATE ROTOR RPM CONTRIBUTED TO THE ROTOR FLAP, BUT IT REMAINS UNCLEAR WHETHER THE TIRE BECAME FLAT BEFORE OR AFTER THE AIRCRAFT TIPPED OVER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.