Whittridge TWINSTARR N298RW

Summary

On 11 June 2022 at about 19:40 local time, a Whittridge TWINSTARR registered N298RW was involved in an accident near Indian Trail, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 June 2022 at 19:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Indian Trail, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Goose Creek (28A)

Coordinates

35.1210, -80.5855

Aircraft

Whittridge TWINSTARR

Registration

N298RW

Category

Gyrocraft

Year built

2006

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA22LA313

1 person had minor injuries.

A blockage of the fuel filter inlet by a piece of debris, which resulted in fuel starvation and a total loss of engine power.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was taking the gyroplane on a short test flight. After adding fuel, the pilot ran the engine multiple times on the ground and completed multiple taxi tests to check the brakes and steering mechanism. The pilot was satisfied that everything was functional and decided to attempt a flight in the airport traffic pattern. Shortly after takeoff the engine lost power. The pilot attempted to return to the airport, but the gyroplane impacted powerlines and the ground, resulting in substantial damage. During a postaccident examination of the wreckage, the pilot found that there was a large piece of debris obstructing a majority of the fuel filter inlet. Another large piece of debris was observed in the fuel tank. All the debris found were consistent in color and texture with silicone sealant used on the fuel quantity sending unit. Based on this information, it is likely that the sealant debris found in the fuel filter inlet obstructed the flow of fuel to the engine and resulted in the total loss of engine power.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.