Accident Overview
On December 2, 2017, at about 1700 central standard time, an experimental, amateur-built Sparrow Hawk gyroplane, registration N481ZK, was destroyed when it impacted terrain and was consumed by a postcrash fire near Eagles Ridge Airport (MS9) in Hernando, Mississippi. The sport pilot and pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The gyroplane was owned and operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The departure time from MS9 is unknown.
No witnesses observed the departure or the accident. A hunter near the accident site reported hearing a loud sound similar to a gunshot around 1700 but dismissed it. After leaving the area at dusk, he noticed a grass fire and alerted a nearby homeowner to call 911. First responders extinguishing the fire later located the wreckage.
Aircraft and Pilot Information
The two-place gyroplane, serial number SH2004002K, was built in 2013. It was powered by a Subaru EJ-25 engine driving a three-bladed, composite Warp Drive propeller. Its fuel cells, made of fiberglass-reinforced polymer resin, were bonded to the cabin floor and walls.
The pilot, age 70, held a sport pilot certificate with a gyroplane rating issued June 29, 2017, and reported 102 hours total flight experience. The pilot-rated passenger, age 43, held an airline transport pilot certificate with multi-engine land rating and commercial privileges for single-engine land, along with several type ratings. His most recent first-class medical certificate was issued June 19, 2017, with no limitations, and he reported 11,722 total flight hours.
A mechanic familiar with the gyroplane reported that about three or four months before the accident, the owner used PRC-type sealant to fix a fuel tank leak. The day before the accident, the owner complained of a fuel smell inside the cabin but stated there was no visible leak. When asked about a fuel tank vent, the owner was unsure. Whether the pilot identified the source of the smell or made repairs before the flight could not be determined. Maintenance records were not located.
Wreckage and Impact
The gyroplane crashed in a wooded area approximately 0.17 nautical mile west-southwest of the departure end of runway 28 at MS9. The aircraft and surrounding area sustained postcrash fire damage. Cut marks in nearby trees indicated a descent angle of about 70° to 75° to the ground.
An FAA inspector at the scene noted that the engine remained attached to the airframe, and the propeller hub was attached to the engine. All three propeller blades were shattered at varying lengths, with separated sections found near the main wreckage. Ground scars adjacent to the propeller were consistent with rotation at impact. Both main rotor blades were attached to the rotor head, though a three-foot section of one blade tip was fractured—consistent with tree contact—and found near the wreckage beneath a separated tree trunk and limbs. One blade exhibited a smooth upward bend, with its outboard portion resting against a tree; the other had a sharp downward bend with trailing edge buckling.
All flight controls, composite fuselage components, seats, and avionics were extensively heat damaged. The left main landing gear was broken and folded under the right main landing gear. Control continuity could not be confirmed due to fire damage, but no separations were observed at control attach points. Oil and dirt were noted on the propeller hub.
Engine examination following recovery revealed extensive heat damage to fuel metering, ignition, and cooling systems. After removing accessories, the crankshaft was rotated by hand, confirming continuity throughout. No preimpact failure or malfunction was found in the valve train, power section, cylinder heads, or pistons. No lubrication issues were noted.
Medical and Toxicology
The Office of the State Medical Examiner in Pearl, Mississippi, performed an autopsy on the pilot, listing blunt force trauma as the cause of death. Toxicology testing by the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory detected no ethanol in vitreous fluid and no tested-for drugs in the blood. The specimens were unsuitable for carbon monoxide analysis, and cyanide testing was not performed.