- Date
- October 15, 2011, 11:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Blair, NE
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N29HTHunt Sparrowhawk
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 27, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20111015025509A
- Case key
- 82110
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/builder’s inadequate installation of a nosewheel steering component, which resulted in a shimmy and a loss of directional control during the takeoff roll.
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
During the takeoff roll, the nosewheel experienced a shimmy, and the pilot was unable to maintain directional control. The gyrocopter rolled onto its left side, exited the side of the runway, and came to rest in the grass. During the rollover, the main rotor mast sustained substantial damage. A postaccident examination of the gyrocopter revealed a loose bolt in the nose gear steering linkage, which allowed the nosewheel to shimmy. The pilot, who was also the builder, was testing the newly built gyrocopter.
Factual narrative
The pilot/builder was planning a short flight above the runway for the purpose of testing the newly built gyrocopter. During the takeoff roll, the nose wheel experienced a shimmy and the pilot was unable to maintain directional control. The gyrocopter rolled onto its left side and exited the side of the runway before coming to rest in the grass. During the rollover, the main rotor mast was substantially damaged. A postaccident examination of the gyrocopter revealed a loose bolt in the nose gear steering linkage which allowed the nose wheel to shimmy.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N29HT
- Reported as
- Hunt Sparrowhawk
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- HA1
- Airframe hours
- 0
- Engine
- Suburu EJ25, 165 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · September 27, 2011
- Departed
- BTA · Blair, NE
- Destination
- BTA · Blair, NE
- Airport
- BTA · Blair Municipal, runway 13, 4,200 × 100 ft, concrete
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
- 48
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- September 8, 2010
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,790 total · 10 in this make and model · 1,728 as pilot in command · 52 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 59 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 18, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.0 MB 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.