MENTONE – A Michigan man was transported to a Rochester hospital this morning after his gyroplane tipped over while landing at the Mentone Airport.
James Hake, 71, had a compound fracture his wrist, according to Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Rick Shepherd. Mentone Town Marshal Jim Eads said Hake had a broken left arm and lots of abrasions, but had a helmet on when he crashed before 10 a.m. today. Hake was the only person in the plane.
Based on the information Shepherd gathered at the scene, as Hake was landing his gyroplane, a front wheel tilted and caused the whole plane to rollover.
Since there was a crash with injury, Eads said the Federal Aviation Administration had to be contacted. Popular Rotocraft Association President Brent Drake said he made that contact.
“It just tipped over. It is just a rollover accident,” Drake said, identifying the gyroplane as “an auto gyro.”
He said the association is having its yearly convention at the Mentone Airport this weekend and will be there through Sunday. Drake expected 300 members to be in attendance, with people coming from all over, including as far away as Alabama and Tennessee. In 2016, a man came from China for the convention.
Shepherd said before the gyroplane could be moved from the runway, the FAA had to clear it.
Along with KCSD and the Mentone Police Department, responding to the scene was the fire department.
