Event CHI98LA277

Factual narrative

On July 24, 1998, at 1345 eastern standard time (est), a Marchetti Avenger gyroplane, N2223A, operated by a commercial pilot, sustained substantial damage when after takeoff from the Mentone, Indiana Airport, it departed controlled flight. The gyroplane subsequently impacted the terrain approximately 1/2 mile north of the airport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. No flight plan was on file. The pilot and passenger on board were seriously injured. The local flight originated at Mentone, Indiana. In his written statement, the pilot said that he executed a normal takeoff and climbed to an altitude of 500 feet above ground level (agl) on a 360 degree heading. As he leveled off at 500 feet agl, the gyroplane's control response "became suddenly heavy, coinciding with an increase in rotor speed." The pilot decided to immediately reduce power and attempt a precautionary landing. The pilot said that "the aircraft started an increasing arc toward the ground and drifted southeast with the wind." The rotor blade speed continued to increase until the gyroplane impacted into a soybean field. The gyroplane impacted the ground in a 40 degree nose down attitude. In a subsequent telephone interview, the pilot said that he climbed out with the engine at full power, and at an airspeed of 45 miles per hour. When he leveled off the control stick got heavy. The pilot said that both he and the passenger were pulling back on the control sticks in the descent. In a second telephone interview, the pilot said he had new wide- chord (8 and 1/2 inch) rotor blades installed on the gyroplane, the day before the accident. On a flight prior to the accident flight, the pilot noticed during rollout from a level, right, 180 degree turn, that the control stick felt very heavy. The pilot told the passenger with him to let go of the control stick. The control stick remained heavy for another 1 to 1 and 1/2 seconds, and then felt normal. During the accident flight, the pilot said that when he reduced power [to attempt a precautionary landing], he brought the engine power back to idle (600) rpm. He said that pulling the engine back puts a lot of drag on the aircraft. His intentions were to slow the gyroplane down. The previous owner of the gyroplane said that the never-exceed airspeed of the aircraft was 60 miles per hour. At that airspeed, the gyroplane has a nosedown pitch of 5 to 6 degrees. The gyroplane had a 10-inch chord airboat propeller installed on it. The owner said that if the engine power is reduced below 1,200 rpm, the drag, induced by the propeller, increases on the aircraft and the nose will pitch down. The engine idles at approximately 600 to 650 rpm. "If the aircraft was fast and the pilot reduced the power to idle, he would run out of aft stick." A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector examined the wreckage and the accident site. The accident site was in a soybean field approximately 25 feet east of a north-south running paved road, and characterized by a 30 foot long ground scar running on a south-southeasterly heading. The ground scar showed an angle of impact of approximately 13 degrees nose down. Five propeller slices, spaced 1 inch apart, were observed in the dirt at the northwest end of the ground scar. The slices ran perpendicular to ground scar. A wheel mark was also observed in the ground scar. A second smaller ground scar was located approximately 40 feet beyond the first ground scar. The main rotor blades and mast were found in this area. The metal tubular cage which contained the pilot and passenger seats, flight controls and instrument panel was bent upward and aft. The engine and pusher propeller were bent upward and forward. The vertical stabilizers and control surfaces were broken off. The main rotor mast was broken off just above the engine. Both main rotor blades showed chordwise scratches. One rotor blade was broken off from the rotor head and showed several metal tears in the trailing edge. The other rotor blade remained attached to the rotor head. It was bent 25 degrees down and twisted aft approximately 2 feet outboard of the attachment bolts, and folded up and in on itself along the entire span of the blade. One blade of the wooden pusher propeller was bent inward along the leading edge tip. The trailing edge of the blade was splintered longitudinally and broken. The other blade was intact and showed chordwise scratches along the leading edge. Flight control continuity was confirmed. Examination of the engine, engine controls, and other gyroplane systems revealed no anomalies. The pilot performed a normal takeoff and climbed to 500 feet agl, on a 360 degree heading. When he leveled off, the gyroplane's control response 'became suddenly heavy, coinciding with an increase in rotor speed.' The pilot immediately reduced power to idle (600) rpm and attempted a precautionary landing. The aircraft pitched down and dove toward the ground. The pilot and the passenger were both pulled back on the control sticks. The gyroplane impacted into a soybean field. The day before the accident, the pilot had wide-chord (8 and 1/2 inch) rotor blades installed on the gyroplane. On a flight prior to the accident flight, the pilot noticed during rollout from a level, right, 180 degree turn, that the control stick felt very heavy. The previous owner said that the Vne of the gyroplane was 60 mph. At that airspeed, the gyroplane has a nosedown pitch of 5 to 6 degrees. The gyroplane had a 10-inch chord airboat propeller installed on it. The owner said that if the engine power is reduced below 1,200 rpm, the drag, induced by the propeller, increases on the aircraft and the nose will pitch down. The engine idles at approximately 600 to 650 rpm. 'If the aircraft was fast and the pilot reduced the power to idle, he would run out of aft stick.' Examination of the wreckage revealed no anomalies. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12