What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Private and sport pilot (with gyroplane endorsement) rated pilot attempted to depart runway 15 at kism in an experimental (operating amateur-built) AR-1 gyroplane. At approximately 55 knots the aircraft left the runway. At approximately 2 feet above the surface, the main rotor blades contacted the tail section of the aircraft. The aircraft descended and rolled onto its side, coming to rest on the runway. The aircraft sustained substantial damage as the tail section was destroyed, and both main rotor blades and drivetrain were damaged in the accident sequence. The pilot and sole occupant egressed the aircraft with minor injuries to his hand.
As the FAA filed it
PRIVATE AND SPORT PILOT (WITH GYROPLANE ENDORSEMENT) RATED PILOT ATTEMPTED TO DEPART RUNWAY 15 AT KISM IN AN EXPERIMENTAL (OPERATING AMATEUR-BUILT) AR-1 GYROPLANE. AT APPROXIMATELY 55 KNOTS THE AIRCRAFT LEFT THE RUNWAY. AT APPROXIMATELY 2 FEET ABOVE THE SURFACE, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE TAIL SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED AND ROLLED ONTO ITS SIDE, COMING TO REST ON THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE AS THE TAIL SECTION WAS DESTROYED, AND BOTH MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND DRIVETRAIN WERE DAMAGED IN THE ACCIDENT SEQUENCE. THE PILOT AND SOLE OCCUPANT EGRESSED THE AIRCRAFT WITH MINOR INJURIES TO HIS HAND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.