- Date
- January 17, 2024, 13:38 local (20:38 UTC)
- Place
- Yuma, AZ
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N70WPDennis Smith Eclipse 10
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20240117000429A
- Case key
- 193677
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 takeoff with low rotor RPM and his subsequent loss of control.
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 of the gyroplane was preparing for takeoff, but he noticed that the brakes felt mushy and were not properly holding as he increased engine power. Consequently, when the main rotor RPM reached 150 RPM, he released the brakes and increased power. The gyroplane then rolled over onto its side. According to the Pilot’s Operating Handbook, takeoff with 150-200 main rotor RPM “requires a high skill,” and normal takeoffs are initiated when 220 main rotor RPM is attained. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation and acknowledged that he should have aborted the takeoff.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N70WP
- Reported as
- Dennis Smith Eclipse 10
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 07175401014
- Built
- 2018
- Airframe hours
- 230.6
- Engine
- Rotax 914, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Smith Dennis P
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · September 19, 2023 · 53.4 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- NYL · Yuma International Airport, runway 17, 5,710 × 150 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
- 68
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Last flight review
- May 5, 2023
- Seat
- Front
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 17,736 total · 150 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.94 inHg
- Observed at
- KNYL
- METAR
- KNYL 172032Z VRB06KT 7SM BKN200 22/M01 A2994 RMK AO2 T02171011
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 8, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 8.5 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.