Snowbird 636D4 N7047J

Summary

On 10 April 1996 at about 21:15 local time, a Snowbird 636D4 registered N7047J was involved in an accident near Okeechobee, Florida, 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

10 April 1996 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Okeechobee, Florida, United States

Coordinates

27.5009, -80.9296

Aircraft

Snowbird 636D4

Registration

N7047J

Category

Gyrocraft

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA96LA113

2 people died.

the failure of the main rotor control connecting rod, which rendered the control stick unusable and led to a loss of control.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had been experiencing vibrations in the gyroplane. The passenger/mechanic went with the pilot on this flight to help determine the cause of the vibration. At a cruise altitude of about 900 feet above the ground, the gyroplane was observed in a vertical descent until it impacted the ground. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the main rotor control connecting rod was broken at the rotor gear. Further examination revealed that the rear roll/pitch anchor point bolt for the control stick had worked loose and rendered the control stick unusable.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.