Kevin Leue SPARROW HAWK N481ZK

Summary

On 2 December 2017 at about 23:00 local time, a Kevin Leue SPARROW HAWK registered N481ZK was involved in an accident near Hernando, Mississippi, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 December 2017 at 23:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Hernando, Mississippi, United States

Nearest airport

Eagles Ridge Airport (MS9)

Coordinates

34.7967, -89.9208

Aircraft

Kevin Leue SPARROW HAWK

Registration

N481ZK

Category

Gyrocraft

Year built

2013

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Hernando → Hernando

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA18LA039

2 people died.

Impact with trees and terrain for reasons that could not be determined based on available evidence.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The sport pilot and pilot-rated passenger departed in the gyroplane at an unknown time. A hunter in the area of the accident site heard a loud sound similar to a gunshot, but dismissed it as another hunter. He left the area shortly thereafter and while walking, saw a grass fire; authorities who responded found the wreckage, which was about 0.17 miles from the departure airport. The gyroplane descended through trees at a steep angle and the left main landing gear impacted the ground first; the gyroplane came to rest on its right side and was destroyed as a result of the postcrash fire. Examination of the flight controls, engine, and engine systems revealed no evidence of pre-impact failure or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. A mechanic familiar with the gyroplane reported that the pilot had repaired a fuel tank leak several months before the accident. The day before the accident, the owner reported smelling fuel while in the cabin, but stated that he had not observed any fuel leaks. Whether the pilot identified the source of the fuel smell or made any repairs before the accident flight could not be determined. Autopsy and toxicology testing of the pilot revealed no evidence of physiological impairment or incapacitation. The reason for the gyroplane's steep descent and impact with terrain could not be determined based on the available information.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.