- Date
- June 11, 2022, 12:35 local (16:35 UTC)
- Place
- Butler, PA · On Airport
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N688GWalter S Johnson III AR-1
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- FAA report
- 20220611010319A
- Case key
- 105269
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 monitor rotor disk speed on takeoff, which resulted in blade flapping and the main rotor blades striking the gyroplane’s tail assembly.
Findings · 2
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 said the traffic pattern was busy, so he began the pre-rotation process as he taxied the gyroplane onto the runway to depart. At that time, the rotor disk rpm was at 140 rpm, which was 20 rpm above the recommended takeoff speed. The pilot said he slowly applied power because he had a passenger onboard, which may have allowed time for the disk speed to decay and become susceptible to blade flap. During the takeoff roll, the gyroplane’s main rotor blades struck and severed the tail assembly, resulting in substantial damage. The pilot said there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N688G
- Reported as
- Walter S Johnson III AR-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 0021
- Built
- 2017
- Airframe hours
- 373.5
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Beighey Mark W
- Registered owner
- Beighey Mark W
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 22, 2022
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- BTP · Pittsburgh/Butler Rgnl, runway 26, 4,801 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS, ADS-B
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 64
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 1, 2021
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 332 total · 330 in this make and model · 276 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.97 inHg
- Observed at
- KBTP
- METAR
- METAR KBTP 111656Z AUTO VRB05KT 10SM FEW041 22/11 A2997
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 17, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.2 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.