# Accident 20181030021199A: Cavalon Gyro LLC AUTOGYRO CAVALON, Sebring, FL, October 30, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 30, 2018, 14:48 local time
- Place: Sebring, FL
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 27.4806° N, 81.4803° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=27.4806&lon=-81.4803&mi=10
- Aircraft: N198LT, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N198LT-2020-10-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cavalon Gyro AUTOGYRO CAVALON (registry code 05636IZ, https://openairdocs.org/model/cavalon-gyro-autogyro-cavalon) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 914UL (registry code 55553, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-914ul) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CAVALON GYRO LLC AUTOGYRO CAVALON
- Reported engine: ROTAX 914UL
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,500 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA19FA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19FA034) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20181030021199A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON OCTOBER 30, 2018, ABOUT 1448 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, AN EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR-BUILT AUTO-GYRO CAVALON GYROCOPTER, N198LT, WAS DESTROYED DURING COLLISION WITH A POWER POLE, WIRES, TERRAIN, A RESIDENCE AND A POST-CRASH FIRE FOLLOWING A FORCED LANDING IN SEBRING, FLORIDA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND THE PILOT-RATED PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE FLIGHT WHICH DEPARTED SEBRING REGIONAL AIRPORT (SEF) ABOUT 1440 AND WAS DESTINED FOR MANATEE AIRPORT (48X), PALMETTO, FL. FUEL RECEIPTS WERE OBTAINED VERIFYING AIRCRAFT WAS FUELED APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES BEFORE ACCIDENT.

A ROTORCRAFT RATED WITNESS STATED HE OBSERVED THE GYRO ON A NORTHWEST TRACK AT ABOUT 300FT AGL THEN TURNED EAST AND ENTERED AUTOROTATION AT 150FT AGL THE NOSED DROPPED AND STARTED TURNING NORTH, DESCENDED FROM VIEW AND A FIREBALL ERUPTED.

PRELIMINARY RADAR INFORMATION REVEALED THE RADAR TARGET IDENTIFIED AS THE ACCIDENT GYROPLANE WAS ACQUIRED AT 500 FEET AND ITS TRACK DEPICTED A CLIMB TO ABOUT 1,000 FEET WHERE IT ASSUMED A CRUISE PROFILE ON AN APPROXIMATE ON-COURSE HEADING (280°) FOR 48X. THE RADAR TRACK TRAVERSED THE SOUTHERN BORDER OF LAKE JACKSON, SEBRING, FLORIDA. ABOUT 1446, THE RADAR DATA DEPICTED A DESCENT PROFILE THAT BEGAN ABOUT 1,000 FEET OVER THE SOUTHWESTERN SHORE OF THE LAKE. THE DESCENT FOLLOWED THE CURVE OF THE SHORELINE TO

THE NORTHWEST, AND THE RADAR TARGET DISAPPEARED AT 900 FEET AND 90 KNOTS GROUNDSPEED, ABOUT 4/TENTHS OF A MILE SOUTHEAST OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. A CHECK OF THE COMMERCIAL WEBSITE LIVEATC.NET CAPTURED A MAYDAY CALL FROM THE AIRCRAFT AS IT WENT DOWN ALONG WITH THE SOUNDS OF IMPACT. ENGINE SURGING CAN DISTINCTLY BE HEARD IN THE BACKGROUND OF THE CALL.

AT 1515, THE WEATHER RECORDED AT SEF INCLUDED CLEAR SKIES, 10 MILES VISIBILITY, AND WINDS FROM 030 DEGREES AT 6 KNOTS. THE TEMPERATURE WAS 28°C, AND THE DEW POINT WAS 13°C. THE ALTIMETER SETTING WAS 30.07 INCHES OF MERCURY.

A CHECK OF RECORDS FOR THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND SHOWS HE WAS CURRENT AND QUALIFIED WHO WAS ALSO DPE THAT SUPPLIED TRAINING TO THE FAA.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA19FA034](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA19FA034), Oct 30, 2018: Autogyro Cavalon (N198LT), Sebring, FL, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's improper decision to operate the gyroplane in an unairworthy condition, which resulted in the cyclic pitch control disconnecting in flight. Contributing was the pilot's inability to…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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