A homebuilt rotorcraft had an engine failure shortly after takeoff.

Attributes
ACN	251784
Time
Date	199309
Day	Thu
Local Time Of Day	1201 To 1800
Place
Locale Reference	airport : mac
State Reference	GA
Altitude	agl bound lower : 0 agl bound upper : 65
Environment
Flight Conditions	VMC
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Operator	general aviation : personal
Make Model Name	Helicopter
Flight Phase	climbout : initial landing other
Flight Plan	None
Person 1
Affiliation	Other
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : commercial pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 50 flight time total : 1800 flight time type : 1200
ASRS Report	251784
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	observation : air carrier inspector
Qualification	other other : other
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical other anomaly other
Independent Detector	other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : declared emergency none taken : unable
Consequence	faa : investigated other other
Supplementary
Primary Problem	Aircraft

Narrative:

Cause of problem: full engine failure on takeoff with maximum performance climb being performed. Reason for engine failure: magnetic grounded out internally. Minimum damage: keel and axle bent, seat bracket broken. Witnessed by airport employees and 2 FAA officials. In sum: the builder/pilot of a gyro copter performed a proper preflight inspection of his aircraft prior to flight except that he did not have all of the proper paper work on board the aircraft. The engine failed shortly after takeoff. The aircraft landed hard with some minor damage and no injury to the pilot except for traumatic shock. 2 FAA inspectors quizzed the reporting pilot while he was still in a condition of shock. They found the papers to be missing and informed the pilot that he was in violation of the FARS. The pilot believes that he was not treated fairly in that he was questioned vigorously while in a condition of shock. The papers have been put into the aircraft.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A HOMEBUILT ROTORCRAFT HAD AN ENG FAILURE SHORTLY AFTER TKOF.

Narrative: CAUSE OF PROB: FULL ENG FAILURE ON TKOF WITH MAX PERFORMANCE CLB BEING PERFORMED. REASON FOR ENG FAILURE: MAGNETIC GNDED OUT INTERNALLY. MINIMUM DAMAGE: KEEL AND AXLE BENT, SEAT BRACKET BROKEN. WITNESSED BY ARPT EMPLOYEES AND 2 FAA OFFICIALS. IN SUM: THE BUILDER/PLT OF A GYRO COPTER PERFORMED A PROPER PREFLT INSPECTION OF HIS ACFT PRIOR TO FLT EXCEPT THAT HE DID NOT HAVE ALL OF THE PROPER PAPER WORK ON BOARD THE ACFT. THE ENG FAILED SHORTLY AFTER TKOF. THE ACFT LANDED HARD WITH SOME MINOR DAMAGE AND NO INJURY TO THE PLT EXCEPT FOR TRAUMATIC SHOCK. 2 FAA INSPECTORS QUIZZED THE RPTING PLT WHILE HE WAS STILL IN A CONDITION OF SHOCK. THEY FOUND THE PAPERS TO BE MISSING AND INFORMED THE PLT THAT HE WAS IN VIOLATION OF THE FARS. THE PLT BELIEVES THAT HE WAS NOT TREATED FAIRLY IN THAT HE WAS QUESTIONED VIGOROUSLY WHILE IN A CONDITION OF SHOCK. THE PAPERS HAVE BEEN PUT INTO THE ACFT.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.