- Date
- September 12, 2010, 11:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Rockford, IL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N815SLLewis Brandon Scott Exterminator
- Defining event
- Landing: Dynamic rollover
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-DPA-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20100912052799A
- Case key
- 77273
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
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the gyrocopter while practicing takeoffs and landings.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the gyrocopter was practicing takeoffs and landings when the accident occurred. He stated that he made 12 takeoffs, lifting off to a height 5 to 10 feet above the runway then touching back down prior to the accident flight. The pilot stated that on the last takeoff, the gyrocopter turned sideways and the momentum of the rotor blades resulted in the gyrocopter rolling onto its side. This resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor blades and left horizontal stabilizer when they contacted the ground. The pilot reported there were no mechanical problems with the gyrocopter.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the gyrocopter was practicing takeoffs and landings when the accident occurred. He stated that he made 12 takeoffs, lifting off to a height 5 to 10 feet above the runway then touching back down prior to the accident flight. The pilot stated that on the last takeoff, the gyrocopter turned sideways and the momentum of the rotor blades resulted in the gyrocopter rolling onto its side. This resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor blades and left horizontal stabilizer when they contacted the ground. The pilot reported there were no mechanical problems with the gyrocopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N815SL
- Reported as
- Lewis Brandon Scott Exterminator
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Airframe hours
- 342
- Engine
- Rotax 912S, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Donald W. Allen
- Registered owner
- Donald W. Allen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 9, 2010 · 0 hours before
- Departed
- 1C8 · Rockford, IL
- Destination
- 1C8 · Rockford, IL
- Airport
- 1C8 · Cottonwood Airport, runway 36, 2,400 × 260 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 71
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Last flight review
- September 1, 2008
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 380 total · 20 in this make and model · 20 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- RFD, 7 nm away
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 23, 2010, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 562 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.