- Date
- October 21, 2019, 09:30 local (13:30 UTC)
- Place
- Brooksville, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N147ARRichard B Carpenter AR-1
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 21, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20191021020319A
- Case key
- 100480
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 attain the proper rotor speed before takeoff, which resulted in the rotor blade striking the rudder. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to abort the takeoff in a timely manner.
Findings · 3
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 reported that, during the takeoff roll, the gyroplane's rotor "flapped" and struck the rudder. He aborted the takeoff and taxied to the ramp without further incident. The gyroplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that if he had aborted the takeoff at the first indication of a problem the accident could have been avoided.
Factual narrative
The gyroplane pilot reported that, during the takeoff roll, the rotor "flapped" and struck the rudder. He aborted the takeoff and taxied to the ramp without further incident. The gyroplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that he did not configure the rotor speed according to the manufacturer's recommended value prior to takeoff and should have followed the checklist.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N147AR
- Reported as
- Richard B Carpenter AR-1
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 0016
- Built
- 2017
- Airframe hours
- 190
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · February 19, 2019
- Departed
- BKV · Brooksville, FL
- Destination
- BKV · Brooksville, FL
- Airport
- BKV · Brooksville-Tampa Bay Rgnl, runway 09, 7,001 × 150 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
- 72
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Sport Pilot
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 19, 2019
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 259 total · 191 in this make and model · 204 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 68 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- KBKV
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 24, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 593 KB 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.