Accident Overview
On December 9, 2024, at 1332 central standard time, an experimental amateur-built M-16 gyroplane, registration N271BP, was destroyed in an accident at Foley Municipal Airport (5R4) in Foley, Alabama. The pilot was fatally injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Witness Accounts
The operator of the gyroplane and an employee of the operator, both gyroplane flight instructors, witnessed the accident. Their accounts of the events were consistent. The pilot started the gyroplane, taxied, performed an engine run-up, and initiated a takeoff from runway 18 with no anomalies noted. The engine operated at full power throughout the accident flight, and its sound remained smooth and continuous until ground contact.
According to the operator, after rotation and liftoff, the gyroplane exhibited minor oscillations, which prompted the operator to reach for a handheld radio to offer guidance, but no radio was available. The oscillations ceased, and the gyroplane stabilized, accelerated, and climbed. Subsequently, the nose pitched up excessively, and full left rudder input was applied until the nose of the gyroplane was oriented 90° to the direction of flight.
The operator observed a right cyclic input, which unloaded the rotor system and induced a buntover event. The gyroplane turned and rolled to the right, through an inverted attitude, before impacting the runway in a nose-low, upright position.
Pilot Information
The pilot held a sport pilot certificate with a gyroplane endorsement, issued on August 8, 2024. A review of the pilot's logbook showed only one entry after the practical test date, with total recorded flight experience of 47 hours as of September 3, 2024. Extrapolating from logbook and operator records, the operator estimated the pilot had accumulated 61 total flight hours, of which 55 were in the accident gyroplane.
Aircraft Information
According to FAA and maintenance records, the gyroplane was manufactured in 2020 and powered by a Rotax 912 IS, 100-horsepower, fuel-injected engine. The most recent condition inspection was completed on October 2, 2024, at 350.7 total aircraft hours.
Accident Site and Wreckage Examination
Examination at the accident site confirmed that all major components were accounted for. The initial impact point was approximately halfway down runway 18. The wreckage path, oriented 160°, was about 45 feet long. The fuselage rested on its left side but was deformed by impact and fire.
The main rotor hub and blade assembly remained attached, displaying uniform damage and chordwise scratching on each blade. Approximately 50% of each blade from mid-span to the tips were consumed by fire. The cockpit, instrument panel, seats, flight controls, and fuselage were entirely consumed by fire. Flight control continuity was established from the rudder pedal bellcrank to the rudder control horn, and from the cyclic mixing unit through several breaks to the main rotor fork; breaks were due to thermal damage to aluminum mount brackets.
The engine sustained impact and fire damage. The No. 3 cylinder rocker cover and exhaust rocker were separated and displaced by impact, and the No. 3 cylinder was displaced from the crankcase. External engine accessories and wire bundles were consumed by fire. Impact damage to the No. 3 cylinder and propeller driveshaft bearing prevented crankshaft rotation. Borescope examination of each cylinder revealed no damage and signatures consistent with normal wear and lubrication.
The three-blade propeller remained mounted to the hub. The 31-inch blades were uniformly impact-damaged and separated about 11 inches outboard of their hubs, with composite fibers sheared opposite the direction of rotation. Each blade root exhibited fire damage. One propeller blade fragment was located 86 feet from the initial impact crater, on a 120° bearing behind the gyroplane relative to its direction of travel.
The propeller gearbox was removed from the engine, revealing an impact-damaged propeller driveshaft bearing. After the damaged bearing was removed, the gearbox rotated smoothly, and internal gears showed no abnormal wear or damage.
Post-accident Examination
Reference to the Federal Aviation Administration’s Rotorcraft Flying Handbook (FAA-H-8083-21) notes that rapid removal of rotor force can cause some gyroplanes to pitch forward abruptly, a phenomenon known as forward tumble, buntover, or power pushover. Rotor unloading can occur due to excessive pilot-induced oscillations, extreme turbulence, or rapid forward movement of the nose after a steep climb.