What happened
On September 10, 2012, at approximately 1100 CDT, an experimental, amateur-built Wiggins Air Boss gyroplane, N717EW, crashed into terrain at Lansing Municipal Airport (IGCO) in Lansing, Illinois. The aircraft was being operated by a private pilot for the purpose of a local test flight.
According to a witness, the pilot had completed three successful full-stop landings on runway 18 prior to the fatal flight. The witness, also a gyroplane pilot, noted that the pilot had previously mentioned the flight controls felt "mushy" during earlier tests. During the subsequent takeoff, the gyroplane yawed nose left and rolled to the right shortly after liftoff. After a brief descent, the aircraft climbed to approximately 100 feet above ground level while maintaining the runway heading. A witness advised the pilot to continue around the traffic pattern rather than attempting to land on the remaining runway. However, the gyroplane subsequently yawed nose left, entered a right roll, and descended rapidly into a cornfield south of the runway.
Another witness reported hearing the engine running until the moment of ground impact. The pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, sustained 1 fatal injury.