Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Hopkinsville-Christian County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Hopkinsville, Kentucky 42240
Monday, May 17, 2010 17:00 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot, he was taking off from runway 26 on the second of two gyroplane test flights following tracking adjustments to the main rotor blades. The first test flight was uneventful. During the takeoff roll on the second test flight, a gust of wind raised the gyroplane’s left wheel off the ground. With the rotors not yet up to speed, the pilot corrected with right cyclic to “force the wheel down,” and left pedal to “maintain straight ground track.” However, he “added too much pedal and [the gyroplane began] to swerve erratically on the runway.” The pilot cut engine power, but then the gyroplane encountered a second gust of wind, which resulted in another roll. The advancing main rotor blade struck the ground, “catapulting” the gyroplane off the runway. The gyroplane came to rest on its left side facing opposite the direction of travel, and the pilot sustained serious injuries. The gyroplane’s main rotor blades and empennage were substantially damaged. No mechanical malfunctions or failures were reported by the pilot. The pilot reported winds from 290 degrees true at 7 knots, gusting to 14 knots.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot’s overcompensation for gusting wind conditions during the takeoff roll, which resulted in a loss of control.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/17/2010 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1700 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Hopkinsville |
| Event State | KENTUCKY |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 42240 |
| Event Date Year | 2010 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 365115N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0872711W |
| Event Location Airport | Hopkinsville-Christian County |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | HVC |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 260 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | 1800 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | HVC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 573 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3600 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Few |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 290 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 14 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.91 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 27105 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Southern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 21 2010 3:00PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coxp |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N397MK |
| NTSB Number | ERA10CA270 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Healy |
| Aircraft Model | RAF 2000 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 13108 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1540 |
| Aircraft Category | Gyrocraft |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Apr 30 2010 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 45 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Matthew J Healy |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 5575 E Sheridan Rd |
| Aircraft Owner City | Monticello |
| Aircraft Owner State | IN |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 47960 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Matthew J Healy |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 5575 E Sheridan Rd |
| Operator City | Monticello |
| Operator State | IN |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 47960 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| Operator Certificate Number | -- |
| Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not | -- |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | -- |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | -- |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | HVC |
| Departure City | Hopkinsville |
| Departure State | KY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | HVC |
| Destination City | Hopkinsville |
| Destination State | KY |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 15 2010 9:12AM |
| User who most recently changed record | hicr |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 26 |
| Runway Length | 5505 |
| Runway Width | 100 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |