- Date
- May 14, 2016, 18:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Tybee Island, GA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N962GTMills Gregory T AIR Commander LRT
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 93195
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 decision to perform a touch-and-go on unsuitable terrain, which resulted in a loss of directional control and a rollover.
Findings · 5
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 a gyroplane reported that during a touch-and-go on a sand bar, the nose wheel began to dig into soft sand. The pilot further reported that he turned the nose wheel to the left towards firmer sand, but the spring-loaded nose wheel dug further into the sand and suddenly turned "full left." Subsequently, the gyroplane rolled over to the right, which resulted in substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that the throttle quadrant friction-set screw had become loose while in-flight, but the mechanical malfunction did not occur during the touch-and-go phase of flight.
Factual narrative
The pilot of a gyroplane reported that during a touch-and-go on a sand bar, the nose wheel began to dig into soft sand. The pilot further reported that he turned the nose wheel to the left towards firmer sand, but the spring-loaded nose wheel dug further into the sand and suddenly turned "full left." Subsequently, the gyroplane rolled over to the right, which resulted in substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that the throttle quadrant friction-set screw had become loose while in-flight, but the mechanical malfunction did not occur during the touch-and-go phase of flight.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N962GT
- Reported as
- Mills Gregory T AIR Commander LRT (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- XM010404
- Built
- 2013
- Airframe hours
- 250
- Engine
- Yamaha Genesis 4, 140 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · May 14, 2016
- Departed
- GA39 · Savannah, GA
- Destination
- GA39 · Savannah, GA
- Equipment
- Handheld GPS
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
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- May 21, 2016
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 352 total · 149 in this make and model · 352 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 13 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.89 inHg
- Observed at
- KSAV, 15 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 14, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 MB in all.