What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to take a passenger on a local traffic pattern flight to demonstrate the gyroplane. The pilot reported that the pre-flight inspection, engine start, run-up, magneto check, and pre-takeoff checks revealed no anomalies. The passenger's account of pre-takeoff events corroborates the pilot's.
Before taking off from runway 13L, the pilot engaged the secondary fuel pump. The pilot stated that the takeoff roll was normal. However, when the main landing gear was about one foot above the runway, the radio lost power. He attempted to reset the radio power but was unable to restore it, which he believed was indicative of a master power failure. As the gyroplane approached the departure end of the runway about 130 ft above ground level, the pilot noticed that the gyroplane was no longer climbing and had entered a slight descent. He selected a dirt area off the departure end of the runway for a forced landing.
The gyroplane continued to descend and impacted terrain at about 15 mph. Resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and main rotor.
As the FAA filed it
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO TAKE A PASSENGER ON A LOCAL TRAFFIC PATTERN FLIGHT TO DEMONSTRATE THE GYROPLANE. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE PRE-FLIGHT INSPECTION, ENGINE START, RUN-UP, MAGNETO CHECK, AND PRE-TAKEOFF CHECKS REVEALED NO ANOMALIES. THE PASSENGER'S ACCOUNT OF PRE-TAKEOFF EVENTS CORROBORATES THE PILOT'S.
BEFORE TAKING OFF FROM RUNWAY 13L, THE PILOT ENGAGED THE SECONDARY FUEL PUMP. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE TAKEOFF ROLL WAS NORMAL. HOWEVER, WHEN THE MAIN LANDING GEAR WAS ABOUT ONE FOOT ABOVE THE RUNWAY, THE RADIO LOST POWER. HE ATTEMPTED TO RESET THE RADIO POWER BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE IT, WHICH HE BELIEVED WAS INDICATIVE OF A MASTER POWER FAILURE. AS THE GYROPLANE APPROACHED THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY ABOUT 130 FT ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE PILOT NOTICED THAT THE GYROPLANE WAS NO LONGER CLIMBING AND HAD ENTERED A SLIGHT DESCENT. HE SELECTED A DIRT AREA OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY FOR A FORCED LANDING.
THE GYROPLANE CONTINUED TO DESCEND AND IMPACTED TERRAIN AT ABOUT 15 MPH. RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE AND MAIN ROTOR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.