Hickox Andy ANDYS GYROPLANE accident near Umatilla, FL
On September 28, 2017, a Hickox Andy ANDYS GYROPLANE (gyroplane) was involved in an accident near Umatilla, FL. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 28, 2017
- Place
- Umatilla, FL
- Aircraft
- Hickox Andy ANDYS GYROPLANE · Gyroplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 28.908°N, 81.636°W
- NTSB ID
- 20170928X24350
Official records · ERA17FA339
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn September 28, 2017, about 1122 eastern daylight time, an experimental, amateur-built gyroplane, N152AH, impacted terrain near Umatilla, Florida. The private pilot was fatally injured and the gyroplane was destroyed. The gyroplane was privately owned and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated about 1 hour 22 minutes earlier from Bob White Field Airport (X61), Zellwood, Florida. A witness reported to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that he saw the gyroplane flying in a north-northwesterly direction about 50 to 60 ft above ground level. He heard the engine running, followed by the sounds of two "bangs" or "pops." The witness reported seeing a large main rotor blade separate, which occurred "as soon as the engine stopped working." The gyroplane began descending and he lost sight of it, but then heard the impact. He drove to the accident site and informed the property owner of the accident. The pilot's route of flight between the departure airport and the witness sighting immediately before the accident could not be determined. PERSONNEL INFORMATIONThe pilot held a private pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. He received an endorsement from a flight instructor for solo flight training in the accident gyroplane on August 30, 2017, in accordance with 14 CFR Part 61.87(c). The pilot's was operating under the
Probable cause
The pilot's improper response to a total loss of engine power, which resulted in main rotor blade contact with the rudder and vertical stabilizer, and a subsequent uncontrolled descent. The loss of engine power was due to the separation of the electrical connector to the coil of the crank triggered ignition system.
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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
