Rotorsport Uk LTD MTOsport 2017 accident near Springfield, Tennessee, August 11, 2020
On August 11, 2020 at about 1:15 pm local time, a 2019 Rotorsport Uk LTD MTOsport 2017 (gyroplane), registered N615MW, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near Springfield, Tennessee (Springfield Robertson County). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to continue the takeoff when the gyroplane’s actual performance failed to match that predicted in his performance planning. Contributing to the accident was the gyrocopter’s insufficient performance for reasons that could not be determined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2020 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Springfield, Tennessee · Springfield Robertson County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rotorsport Uk LTD MTOsport 2017, built 2019 · all MTOsport 2017s on the register
- Registration
- N615MW · registry record · serial RSUK-M01704
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot conducted an intersection takeoff with the gyroplane loaded near its maximum gross weight. The pilot stated he lifted off at 45 knots and accelerated "in ground effect" in an attempt to reach his planned climb speed of 55 knots, but the gyroplane would not accelerate past 48 knots. Data from an onboard GPS navigation device revealed that, in calm winds, the gyroplane reached a maximum groundspeed of 40 knots. Although the gyrocopter was only about 10 ft above the ground (agl) where, based on the pilot’s performance planning, it should have been 50 ft agl, and sufficient runway and turf overrun were available to abort the takeoff, the pilot chose to continue the takeoff. As the gyroplane approached the airport boundary, it was neither climbing nor accelerating. Due to obstacles beyond the airport’s boundary, the pilot performed a forced landing between the airport boundary fence and the road. The gyroplane landed hard and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. Despite the pilot having completed detailed weight and balance and performance-planning calculations, the pilot continued the takeoff when the gyroplane failed to achieve its predicted performance by large margins. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the wreckage and a postaccident engine run revealed no anomalies with the gyrocopter. The reason the gyrocopter did not perform as expected could not be determined based on available evidence.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Abnormal runway contact during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,650 hours in all; 173 in this make and model; 197 in the last 90 days; 73 in the last 30 days; 5,519 as pilot in command; 951 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 22, 2020
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 183.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 15, 2020; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,023 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912UL (piston); 183 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: M91 Springfield TN
- Destination: JWN Nashville TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 5,505 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 am from M91
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA20LA284.