- Date
- March 23, 2022, 10:46 local (15:46 UTC)
- Place
- Lubbock, TX · Side of runway
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N430HSSparrow Hawk III
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20220323004109A
- Case key
- 104822
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 during takeoff with strong gusty winds.
Findings · 4
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
Shortly after takeoff the pilot “felt a force straight down.” The gyroplane impacted the terrain hard, rolled over, and came to rest on its side adjacent to the runway. The gyroplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and stabilizers. Reported winds about the time accident included wind gusts and a peak wind of 30 knots. A postaccident examination of the gyroplane revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N430HS
- Reported as
- Sparrow Hawk III
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- S03-0003
- Airframe hours
- 69
- Engine
- Subaru EJ-25, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · March 21, 2022
- Airport
- F82 · Lubbock Executive Airpark, runway 35, 3,500 × 70 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- 56
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,041 total · 33 in this make and model · 836 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 19 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 19 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.11 inHg
- Observed at
- KLBB, 11 nm away
- METAR
- KLBB 231553Z 32019G30KT 10SM FEW060 FEW100 FEW150 SCT200 10/M07 A3011 RMK AO2 PK WND 32030/1549 SLP186 VIRGA DSNT NE T01001067
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 19, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.1 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.