Amateur-built BRC 540C accident near Leesburg, Virginia, October 20, 2003
On October 20, 2003 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built BRC 540C (gyroplane), registered N540CX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leesburg, Virginia (Leesburg Executive Airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot in command's failure to maintain directional control and his inadvertent activation of the right rudder pedal.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 2003 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Leesburg, Virginia · Leesburg Executive Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BRC 540C
- Registration
- N540CX · registry record · serial 376
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The owner was neither rated nor current to fly the gyrocopter. The pilot was seated in the right seat, and the owner was seated in the left seat. The owner flew a left hand traffic pattern for the runway, and the pilot took control of the gyrocopter for touchdown. However, during the transition of control, the pilot's feet entangled in the rudder pedals. After touchdown, the gyrocopter began to drift right. The pilot attempted to correct the drift by depressing the left rudder pedal. However, the pilot accidentally depressed the owner's right rudder pedal, rather than his own left rudder pedal.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: gyroplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,666 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 2,666 as pilot in command; 866 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 12, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 250 hours in all
- Last flight review: December 12, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 42 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 7, 2003; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Subaru EJ 25 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JYO Leesburg VA at 6:25 pm
- Destination: JYO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 6:24 pm from JYO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.