What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On August 3, 2017 at approximately 10:00 eastern daylight time, an Mto Sport experimental gyroplane, N571UJ, registered to and operated by a sport pilot, received substantial damage when it rolled onto its side during landing on runway 36 at the Mentone Airport (C92) in Mentone, Indiana.
The personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of title 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot received serious injuries. The local flight originated from the Mentone Airport (C92) in Mentone, Indiana.
According to the pilot, he was performing a normal landing. He stated he was holding right rudder control input upon the touchdown of the main landing gear, which also steers the nose wheel both on the ground and airborne. Contrary to what the pilot indicates are normal procedures for the aircraft, he maintained the rudder input as the nose wheel touched down. With the nose wheel deflected right, the aircraft had an immediate turning tendency and side load, causing it to roll onto its side. The rotor and propeller struck the ground and the aircraft came to rest.
Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The weather report at krcr airport at 1355Z was: wind calm, visibility 7 statute miles, clear, temperature 18, dew point 18, and altimeter 3004.
As the FAA filed it
ON AUGUST 3, 2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:00 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN MTO SPORT EXPERIMENTAL GYROPLANE, N571UJ, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY A SPORT PILOT, RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT ROLLED ONTO ITS SIDE DURING LANDING ON RUNWAY 36 AT THE MENTONE AIRPORT (C92) IN MENTONE, INDIANA.
THE PERSONAL FLIGHT WAS BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF TITLE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS (CFR) PART 91 WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE MENTONE AIRPORT (C92) IN MENTONE, INDIANA.
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS PERFORMING A NORMAL LANDING. HE STATED HE WAS HOLDING RIGHT RUDDER CONTROL INPUT UPON THE TOUCHDOWN OF THE MAIN LANDING GEAR, WHICH ALSO STEERS THE NOSE WHEEL BOTH ON THE GROUND AND AIRBORNE. CONTRARY TO WHAT THE PILOT INDICATES ARE NORMAL PROCEDURES FOR THE AIRCRAFT, HE MAINTAINED THE RUDDER INPUT AS THE NOSE WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN. WITH THE NOSE WHEEL DEFLECTED RIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT HAD AN IMMEDIATE TURNING TENDENCY AND SIDE LOAD, CAUSING IT TO ROLL ONTO ITS SIDE. THE ROTOR AND PROPELLER STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST.
VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE WEATHER REPORT AT KRCR AIRPORT AT 1355Z WAS: WIND CALM, VISIBILITY 7 STATUTE MILES, CLEAR, TEMPERATURE 18, DEW POINT 18, AND ALTIMETER 3004.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.