What happened
On November 3, 2020, at approximately 13:41 CST, an experimental, amateur-built AutoGyro MTO Sport gyroplane, N455WM, was involved in a fatal accident near Whitewater, Kansas. The aircraft was operating as a personal flight under 14 CFR Part 91.
The flight originated from McMaster Gliderport (29KS), located about 5 miles northeast of Wichita. A witness located approximately 5.8 miles from the crash site observed the aircraft flying in a southeast direction at an altitude of about 300 feet above the ground. The witness noted that the engine sounded normal and did not observe the accident sequence. Shortly after, a local landowner noticed smoke coming from a field and alerted authorities.
The aircraft came to rest in a grass field at an elevation of 1,630 feet mean sea level in a nose-down attitude. The forward fuselage was buried approximately 2 feet into the ground, and the airframe sustained heavy damage from a postcrash fire. The accident resulted in 2 fatal injuries for the pilot and one passenger.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the gyroplane revealed no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have prevented normal operation, though the inspection was limited by extensive thermal damage to the engine and airframe. The aircraft was equipped with standard flight gauges and lacked any devices containing nonvolatile memory.
Toxicology results for the pilot showed the presence of acetaminophen, atorvastatin, meloxicam, and diphenhydramine. While diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine that can affect reaction times, investigators could not determine if the pilot was impaired because no blood concentration levels were available. The high-energy impact of the aircraft was consistent with a loss of control, but the specific cause of that loss of control could not be determined from the available evidence.