Accident Overview
On October 8, 2023, about 1552 central daylight time, an experimental Gyro Technic GT-VX2 gyroplane, registration N557LJ, was substantially damaged when it collided with power lines and impacted the river near Saint Peter, Minnesota. The pilot sustained fatal injuries. The flight was conducted as a personal flight under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.
Flight Sequence
The pilot departed from Mankato Regional Airport (MKT), Mankato, Minnesota, about 1500, as part of a two-gyroplane flight. Both gyroplanes proceeded to Le Sueur Municipal Airport (12Y), Le Sueur, Minnesota, where they executed multiple landings in the traffic pattern. After departing 12Y, the two gyroplanes followed a river valley at low altitude. As they approached a bridge, the second pilot climbed to a higher altitude, while the accident pilot remained at a lower altitude after crossing the bridge. The second pilot observed "flashing" below and saw the accident gyroplane splash into the river.
A ground witness reported seeing the gyroplane fly directly into power lines, flip upside down, and fall inverted into the river.
Examination Findings
Postaccident examination of the airframe established flight control continuity from the control yoke to all flight controls. Rudder cables were continuous from cockpit pedals to the control surface. No preimpact anomalies were found in the flight control system. The engine exhibited no preimpact anomalies that would have prevented normal operation.
The gyroplane was equipped with an engine control unit (ECU) that recorded data from the entire 1.06-hour accident flight. The ECU data showed no preimpact anomalies.
Pilot Toxicology and Autopsy
According to the Mayo Clinic Laboratories autopsy report, the pilot's cause of death was "multiple blunt impact injuries" and the manner of death was "accident." Toxicology tests performed by the FAA's Forensic Sciences Laboratory were negative for all substances tested.