14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, July 21, 2012 in Shiocton, WI
Probable Cause Approval Date: 10/09/2012
Aircraft: BERTRAM WILLIAM J BERTRAM 2000, registration: N115WB
Injuries: 1 Serious.
NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.
The pilot of the gyrocopter reported that he was taking aerial photos of the airport. He stated he was flying toward the airport and trying to take photos when he realized he was getting too close to the airport. He initiated a turn downwind away from the airport at which time the gyrocopter lost altitude. The lower right side of the fuselage and the right landing gear strut contacted a guy wire attached to a utility pole alongside the highway that bordered the south side of the airport. The gyrocopter then descended, impacted terrain, and came to rest in a ditch alongside the highway, which resulted in substantial damage to the vertical tail surfaces and the main rotor blades. The pilot stated that he was distracted by trying to use the camera and that he was not paying attention to the surroundings when the accident occurred.
The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
The pilot’s distraction with taking photographs, which resulted in his failure to maintain sufficient altitude to avoid the guy wire.
The pilot reported he was taking aerial photos of the airport where he is based out of, as they were hosting a fly-in. He stated he was flying toward the airport and trying to take photos when he realized he was getting too close to the airport. He initiated a turn downwind away from the airport, at which time the gyrocopter lost altitude. The lower right side of the fuselage and the right landing gear strut contacted a guy wire attached to a utility pole alongside the highway which bordered the south side of the airport. The gyrocopter then descended to the terrain and came to rest in a ditch alongside the highway substantially damaging the vertical tail surfaces, and the main rotor blades. The pilot stated that he was distracted by trying to use the camera and that he was not paying attention to the surroundings when the accident occurred.
TOWN OF BOVINA, Wis. - Officials say one man is injured after a helicopter crash at Highway 54 and Mack Road.
It happened around 3 p.m. Saturday afternoon near Shiocton.
The pilot was flying a gyrocopter to Shiocton's Fly-In when the aircraft clipped a telephone wire and crashed in the road.
Gyrocopters are experimental aircrafts that have helicopter and airplane features.
Officials say the pilot was the only one in the gyrocopter.
The Outagamie County Sheriff's Department says the pilot has been taken to the hospital and is expected to be OK.
The westbound lane of Highway 54 from Park Avenue to Puls Road will be closed for a few hours.
The National Transportation Safety Board in Oshkosh is investigating the accident.
Story, video and photo: http://www.fox11online.com
Staff Sgt. John Hoffmann of the Outagamie County Sheriff's Department talks on the phone as he moves away from the crash site of a small helicopter that went down along Highway 54 near the Shiocton airport in Shiocton on Saturday.
Ron Page/The Post-Crescent
The aircraft may have been part of the 27th annual Shiocton Fly-in, being held Saturday and Sunday at the Shiocton Airport, located on State 54, although it has not been confirmed.
The Outagamie County Sheriff’s Department responded to the report of the crash at approximately 2:54 p.m. on State 54, one-tenth of a mile east of Mack Road.
Outagamie Sheriff deputies, the Shiocton Fire Department and Shiocton Rescue units responded to the call. The pilot was the only person on board.
The cause of the accident remains under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.
Story and photo: http://www.postcrescent.com
