Pilot Had Not Intended To Fly The Aircraft, According To Family Members

The NTSB has released a preliminary report from an accident which occurred August 19th in Wisconsin that fatally injured the pilot of a Sport Copter Vortex Gyrocopter.

According to the report, the experimental aircraft impacted a corn field about .31 miles west of the departure end of runway 29 at Viroqua Municipal Airport (Y51) Viroqua, Wisconsin. The gyrocopter was owned and operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 when the accident occurred. The non-certificated pilot was fatally injured and the gyrocopter was destroyed by the impact and post-crash fire. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed. The flight departed Y51 about 1830.

According to a family member, the purpose of the flight was to practice taxi operations and become familiar with the handling characteristics of the aircraft. The reason the gyrocopter took off is unknown.

Witnesses at the airport and nearby stated that, after becoming airborne, the engine appeared to lose all power. None of the witnesses heard pops or bangs, and all described the engine noise as just stopping. The gyrocopter then descended rapidly into a corn field and shortly thereafter, smoke was observed rising from the field. First responders arrived to find the airplane fully engulfed in fire.

The debris field extended about 65 ft along a magnetic heading of 336°.

The gyrocopter was equipped with a Rotax 582 series engine.

(Source: NTSB. Image from file. Not accident aircraft)

FMI: Report