What happened
On September 21, 2014, a Brupbacher CB2000 gyroplane, registration N5002E, crashed into a canal in Reserve, Louisiana. The flight had originated from St. John the Baptist Parish Airport (1L0). Witnesses observed the aircraft take off from runway 35, turn onto the crosswind leg, and climb to an altitude of approximately 200 feet. During the climb, observers saw an unidentified object separate from the aircraft. Following this separation, the rotor blades folded, causing the gyroplane to strike the canal and sink. The accident resulted in 2 fatal injuries for the pilot and passenger.
At the time of the accident, weather conditions were visual meteorological conditions (VMC) with a visibility of 10 miles and winds from 050 degrees at 5 knots.
The investigation
FAA inspectors examined the wreckage recovered from the canal. The investigation revealed that the main rotor mast was found in a folded position. The rudder had separated from the wreckage and showed damage consistent with being struck by the pusher propeller. Additionally, the tail boom and vertical stabilizer had separated from the main wreckage.
Upon inspection of the flight control linkage, investigators found that one flight control rod bearing stud had fractured. The fracture surface showed evidence of corrosion, indicating the crack existed prior to the impact. Another control rod bearing also exhibited similar surface corrosion. Analysis determined that the failure of this rod bearing caused the main rotor blades to move to full pitch, creating an excessive load that folded the rotor mast and subsequently allowed the pusher propeller to sever the tail section.