History of Flight
On November 4, 2019, about 1200 eastern standard time, an experimental amateur-built Tango2 gyroplane, registration N875FV, was substantially damaged when it crashed near Cedartown, Georgia. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a test flight. According to a friend of the pilot, the pilot was performing a test flight to address a vibration issue. The friend observed the pilot add fuel, check oil, and perform part of the preflight inspection before the friend resumed other tasks. The friend then watched the gyroplane take off and fly out of sight, noting no problems. Anticipating a 15-minute flight, the friend alerted authorities after 30 minutes and began searching. The wreckage was located later that day around 1330.
Personnel Information
The pilot did not hold a Federal Aviation Administration medical certificate and was not required to have one. According to a friend, he had accumulated about 200-300 hours of flight time.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The main wreckage came to rest inverted in a cotton field at an elevation of 853 ft above mean sea level, approximately 2.5 miles from the departure airport. The debris path, oriented on a magnetic heading of 270°, extended about 15 ft from the initial impact point. All major components were present at the site. No postimpact fire occurred, and fuel odor was evident. Flight control continuity was confirmed from rudder pedals to rudder and from cyclic to main rotor mast. Throttle control continuity was verified from throttle to engine. The main rotor mast was impact-damaged and bent aft. The main rotor rotated freely when moved by hand, with secure pitch and roll pivot bolts. Minor wear was noted on the main rotor drive gear where the brake contacted. One rotor blade was separated and located 15 ft away, exhibiting impact damage, aft bending, and rotational scoring; its cap was separated. The other blade remained partially attached, bent in the positive direction, with rotational scoring, the cap attached, and partial aft bending. Two shims added to reduce blade pitch angle were found near the wreckage. Engine examination revealed no anomalies that would have prevented normal operation. The handheld vibration tester unit used during the flight was not located; however, its cables and sensors remained attached to the airframe and rotor head. Two of three connection points were intact, and the third was separated. Excess cable was found in the aft seat.
Medical and Pathological Information
The Office of the Medical Examiner in Atlanta, Georgia, performed an autopsy. The cause of death was multiple blunt force injuries. The autopsy also revealed severe coronary artery disease, including a metal stent in the proximal right coronary artery with less than 20% residual stenosis, 80% stenosis of the native left anterior descending coronary artery, and 60% stenosis of the left circumflex coronary artery. No obvious evidence of myocardial infarction was noted, but no microscopic examination was performed. No other natural disease was identified. Toxicology testing at the FAA Forensic Sciences Laboratory detected no ethanol. Amlodipine, Metoprolol, and Atorvastatin were found in fluid specimens. Sertraline (108 ng/mL, ng/g) and desmethylsertraline (191 ng/mL, ng/g) were also detected. Sertraline is an antidepressant (Zoloft), Atorvastatin is a cholesterol-lowering medication (Lipitor), and Metoprolol is a blood pressure medication.