# NTSB CEN25LA022: Magniflight M24 Orion, N4777W, Valmeyer, IL, October 19, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: October 19, 2024, 14:00 local (19:00 UTC) - Place: Valmeyer, IL - Coordinates: 38.373392, -90.320658 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.3734&lon=-90.3207&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 195356 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA022 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195356/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195356 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA022 ## Probable cause The pilot’s loss of control due to flight control interference by the passenger during takeoff. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Magniflight M24 ORION, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md?model=05636L8), [All aircraft, 1,391 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015/cases.md) - [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02050000): Personnel issues › Miscellaneous · Passenger (probable cause); cases with it: [Magniflight M24 ORION, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02050000/cases.md?model=05636L8), [All aircraft, 29 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02050000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Magniflight M24 ORION, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=05636L8), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis Before the flight, the pilot gave a safety briefing to his passenger, and explained to the passenger to keep his feet off of the rudder pedals and to stay clear of the cyclic during takeoff. After the briefing and startup, the pilot took off in the gyroplane with his passenger for a local flight. The grass runway was bumpy, so the pilot lifted the front wheel off the ground as soon as possible and rode the main wheels until speed was built up enough to lift off. As all the wheels came off the ground, the gyrocopter started to drift to the right off of the runway. The pilot tried to correct with cyclic but was unable to move the cyclic. The gyroplane continued to move to the right and touched down in a field nose first and bounced. The gyroplane hit a concrete obstacle and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and main rotor. The pilot believed that the passenger’s left leg interfered with the movement of the cyclic which resulted in the right drift after takeoff. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N4777W](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4777W), registered now, S/N 24192364, built 2020 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: MAGNIFLIGHT LLC M24 ORION - Registry model: [Magniflight M24 ORION](https://openairdocs.org/model/magniflight-m24-orion) (registry code 05636L8) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rotax 914 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-914-series) (registry code 55575, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Gyroplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 24192364 - Year built: 2020 - Airframe hours: 775 - Engines: Rotax 914 UL 115 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental light sport (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, May 16, 2014 - Destination: Same as departure - Airport: 27LL, Sullivan Field Airport, runway 27, 1,800 × 70 ft, grass/turf - Equipment: Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 68; injuries: none; sport pilot, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 859 total, 108 in this make and model, 32 in the last 90 days, 24 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 39 °F - Altimeter: 30.42 inHg - Observed at: KCPS, 14 nm away - METAR: KCPS 192053Z VRB04KT 10SM CLR 24/04 A3042 RMK AO2 SLP299 T02390039 56021 ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20241019016369A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241019016369A), Oct 19, 2024: Magniflight LLC M24 ORION, Valmeyer, IL, Substantial damage. A gyroplane with one passenger attempted to takeoff on an approved grass runway. During takeoff the pilot rotated prior to reaching his rotation takeoff speed.… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 21, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=195356. 4.5 MB in all. - NTSB form 6120 pilot operator report CEN25LA022 (item 1, PDF, 9 pages, 3.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17885339&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120%20Pilot%20Operator%20Report%20CEN25LA022_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigation photograph CEN25LA022 (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 558 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17885105&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photograph%20CEN25LA022-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.