- Date
- September 7, 2012, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Spanish Fork, UT
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N51140Korrison Tom Sparrow Hawk
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 5, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20120907019749A
- Case key
- 84967
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 directional control of the gyroplane during an aborted takeoff.
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 private pilot had been receiving dual instruction in a gyroplane. During the takeoff portion of his first solo flight in the gyroplane, it began drifting toward the edge of the runway. Although the pilot aborted the takeoff and tried to realign the gyroplane with the runway, his control inputs resulted in the gyroplane rolling onto its side, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and rotor blades. According to the pilot, there was no indication of any preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The private pilot, who held an airplane single engine land rating, had been taking dual instruction in a gyroplane. During the takeoff portion of his first solo flight in the gyroplane, it began drifting toward the edge of the runway. Although the pilot initiated an abort and tried to realign the gyroplane with the runway, his control inputs resulted in the gyroplane rolling onto its side, whereupon it sustained substantial damage. According to the pilot, there was no indication of any mechanical malfunction. Wind conditions were calm.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N51140
- Reported as
- Korrison Tom Sparrow Hawk
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- SH2005006K
- Engine
- Subaru ALL MDLS A/B, 400 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- D'Ewart Jay C
- Registered owner
- D'Ewart Jay C
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- U77 · Spanish Fork, UT
- Destination
- U77 · Spanish Fork, UT
- Airport
- U77 · Spanish Fork - Springville, runway 12, 5,700 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 46
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 90 total · 50 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 5, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.5 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.