Spanish Fork - Springville Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Spanish Fork, Utah 84660
Friday, September 7, 2012 11:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the gyroplane during an aborted takeoff.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/7/2012
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Spanish Fork
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84660
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 400829N
Event Location Longitude 1113940W
Event Location Airport Spanish Fork - Springville
Event Location Nearest Airport ID U77
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30608
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 3 2012 9:09AM
User who most recently changed record reej
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N51140
NTSB Number WPR12CA404
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name KORRISON TOM
Aircraft Model SPARROW HAWK
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number SH2005006K
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Gyrocraft
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
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 --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name D'EWART JAY C
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City ROCK SPRINGS
Aircraft Owner State WY
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 82901-2972
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name D'EWART JAY C
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City ROCK SPRINGS
Operator State WY
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 82901-2972
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 U77
Departure City Spanish Fork
Departure State UT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code U77
Destination City Spanish Fork
Destination State UT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 5 2012 5:04PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 12
Runway Length 5700
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --