Gyro Technic GT-VX2 N557LJ
8 October 2023 · Saint Peter, Minnesota, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 8 October 2023 at about 20:52 local time, a Gyro Technic GT-VX2 registered N557LJ was involved in an accident near Saint Peter, Minnesota, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:52
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Saint Peter, Minnesota, United States
- Nearest airport
- Mankato Rgnl (MKT)
- Coordinates
- 44.3216, -93.9506
- Aircraft
- Gyro Technic GT-VX2
- Registration
- N557LJ
- Category
- Helicopter
- Year built
- 2023
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Le Sueur → Mankato
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CEN24LA006
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from power lines during low-level maneuvering through a river valley.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot was conducting a personal flight as part of a flight of two gyroplanes. Bothpilots were flying their gyroplanes at low level through a river valley when the accident occurred. As they approached a bridge, the second pilot climbed his gyroplane; however, the accident pilot remained at a lower altitude after passing over the bridge and subsequently impacted power lines. The second pilot noticed “flashing” below him and observed the accident gyroplane splash into the river. The gyroplane sustained substantial damage and the pilot was fatally injured. A witness on the ground observed the gyroplane fly directly into the power lines. Postaccident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Feb 2023 | Cessna 172S | Princeton, Minnesota, United States | Twin Cities Flight Training, Inc | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jun 2023 | Schweizer G-164B | Beltrami, Minnesota, United States | Gasper Air Spray, Inc | Fatal | 1 |
| 11 May 2023 | Loehle Acft 5151 MUSTANG | Hector, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 17 Sep 2023 | Cessna 150K | South Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 30 Jun 2023 | Icon A5 | Onamia, Minnesota, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 12 Mar 2023 | Socata TB21 | Eden Prairie, Minnesota, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |