- Date
- May 2, 1993, 16:35 local (20:35 UTC)
- Place
- Hebron, OH
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- UNREGLeveck Vancraft
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 19, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 11930
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure of the pilot to maintain rotor RPM, which resulted in a loss of aircraft control. A factor related to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience flying the gyroplane with a body enclosure.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Witnesses stated that they saw the gyroplane takeoff and reach an altitude of about 100 feet above ground level. They said that the gyroplane traveled north and then turned steeply to the west. They stated that shortly after the turn was initiated, the gyroplane fell straight down to the ground. The witnesses said that they heard the engine sputter and the main rotor blades were moving 'slowly' around during the descent. The post accident investigation did not reveal any airframe or engine anomalies. A friend of the pilot stated that this was the pilot's first flight in the gyroplane after he added a 'body enclosure' to it. The pilot held an FAA student pilot certificate.
Aircraft
- Registration
- UNREG
- Reported as
- Leveck Vancraft
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Airframe hours
- 103
- Engine
- Rotax 532, 64 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 103
- Operator
- Jack Leveck
- Registered owner
- Jack Leveck
- Last inspection
- Unknown · January 2, 2000
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 73
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Flight hours
- 103 total · 103 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 6 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CMH, 1 nm away