Brock Steiner SPORT COPTER VORTEX N395SC

Summary

On 8 December 2017 at about 01:10 local time, a Brock Steiner SPORT COPTER VORTEX registered N395SC was involved in an accident near Spanish Fork, Utah, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 December 2017 at 01:10

Classification

Accident

Location

Spanish Fork, Utah, United States

Coordinates

40.0744, -111.5797

Aircraft

Brock Steiner SPORT COPTER VORTEX

Registration

N395SC

Category

Gyrocraft

Year built

2003

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Manti → Nephi

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

GAA18CA073

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s failure to maintain situational and geographic awareness during the flight, which resulted in him becoming lost and exhausting the gyroplane’s fuel.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot of the experimental amateur-built gyroplane, during a solo cross-country flight, he became lost and decided to follow a nearby highway. Unfamiliar with the area, he exhausted the gyroplane's fuel supply and landed on a highway. The gyroplane's nosewheel struck a passing car, but the gyroplane was able to touch down and stop on the right shoulder of the highway. A passing semi-truck struck the rotor blades of the gyroplane. The gyroplane sustained substantial damage to the rotor system. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.