Amateur-built AR-1 accident near Brooksville, Florida, October 21, 2019
On October 21, 2019 at about 1:30 pm local time, a 2017 amateur-built AR-1 (gyroplane), registered N147AR, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Brooksville, Florida (Brooksville-Tampa Bay Rgnl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 failure to attain the proper rotor speed before takeoff, which resulted in the rotor blade striking the rudder. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to abort the takeoff in a timely manner.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2019 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Brooksville, Florida · Brooksville-Tampa Bay Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AR-1, built 2017
- Registration
- N147AR · registry record · serial 0016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during the takeoff roll, the gyroplane's rotor "flapped" and struck the rudder. He aborted the takeoff and taxied to the ramp without further incident. The gyroplane sustained substantial damage to the rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that if he had aborted the takeoff at the first indication of a problem the accident could have been avoided.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Prop/rotor parameters › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 259 hours in all; 191 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 204 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 19, 2019
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 190 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 19, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 190 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BKV Brooksville FL at 2:30 pm
- Destination: BKV Brooksville FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 7,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KBKV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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 GAA20CA044.