Levick RAF-2000-GTX-SE N24DN

Summary

On 14 December 2007 at about 19:26 local time, a Levick RAF-2000-GTX-SE registered N24DN was involved in an accident near Salem, Indiana, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 December 2007 at 19:26

Classification

Accident

Location

Salem, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Salem Muni (I83)

Coordinates

38.6019, -86.1400

Aircraft

Levick RAF-2000-GTX-SE

Registration

N24DN

Category

Gyrocraft

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Salem → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI08LA052

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the gyroplane during climbout after takeoff.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

A witness reported that after takeoff, when approximately 20 feet above ground level (agl), the gyroplane drifted to the right and the tail turned "abruptly" to the right about 90-degrees. The pilot reduced power and regained control. The gyroplane returned to the runway centerline and the pilot appeared to be setting up for a landing. However, when the gyroplane was about 5 feet above the runway, the pilot increased engine power and started to climb. About 75 to 100 feet agl, the tail of the gyroplane again turned "abruptly" to the right, the nose pitched up "steeply," and the aircraft rolled inverted. It subsequently impacted the ground on the rotor mast. A post accident examination did not reveal any anomalies consistent with a pre-impact failure or malfunction. The pilot did not have any recollection of the accident flight. He reported that he had owned the accident gyroplane for 2-1/2 years, but he was still just learning. He soloed the previous summer and had accumulated about 5 hours of solo flight time. He had about 20 hours total flight time in gyroplanes. The pilot held a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land airplane rating, with about 280 hours flight time in airplanes.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.