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20250619008309I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Rotorsport UK ROTORSPORT UK CAVALO · Torrance, CA · June 19, 2025

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
June 19, 2025 · 15:00 local
Place
Torrance, CA
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N378WX
Reported as
Rotorsport UK Rotorsport UK Cavalo
Reported engine
ROTAX 914UL
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours
577 total41 in this make and model
N378WXRegistered now · Rotorsport UK ROTORSPORT UK CAVALOS/N RSUK-V00373 · Built 2019Airframe modelRotorsport UK ROTORSPORT UK CAVALOEngine modelRotax 914UL4 cycle

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

PIC departed ktoa and had a normal takeoff. He was asked to extend his up-wind leg when he heard a pop, initially thought to be turbulence. Upon turning crosswind, he heard a louder pop and experienced violent vibrations. Once the vibrations occurred, he made a mayday call and pointed back to the runway (29R). Ktoa tower cleared him to land and stopped all incoming traffic. The pilot then noticed that engine RPM had dropped to 0 and the vibration had stopped. The pilot made a safe landing on 29R and remained in the aircraft for 5-6 minutes while he waited for the rotor blades to stop spinning due to the rotor brake no longer being functional. Pilot contacted the NTSB and the FAA and will be providing a written statement to the FAA. The pilot has 41.3 hours in type and 577.5 hours total time. He received his gyrocopter endorsement in October 2024 and last flight with a flight instructor was 2 weeks prior for recurrent training and emergency procedures after not flying for the past month.

As the FAA filed it

PIC DEPARTED KTOA AND HAD A NORMAL TAKEOFF. HE WAS ASKED TO EXTEND HIS UP-WIND LEG WHEN HE HEARD A POP, INITIALLY THOUGHT TO BE TURBULENCE. UPON TURNING CROSSWIND, HE HEARD A LOUDER POP AND EXPERIENCED VIOLENT VIBRATIONS. ONCE THE VIBRATIONS OCCURRED, HE MADE A MAYDAY CALL AND POINTED BACK TO THE RUNWAY (29R). KTOA TOWER CLEARED HIM TO LAND AND STOPPED ALL INCOMING TRAFFIC. THE PILOT THEN NOTICED THAT ENGINE RPM HAD DROPPED TO 0 AND THE VIBRATION HAD STOPPED. THE PILOT MADE A SAFE LANDING ON 29R AND REMAINED IN THE AIRCRAFT FOR 5-6 MINUTES WHILE HE WAITED FOR THE ROTOR BLADES TO STOP SPINNING DUE TO THE ROTOR BRAKE NO LONGER BEING FUNCTIONAL. PILOT CONTACTED THE NTSB AND THE FAA AND WILL BE PROVIDING A WRITTEN STATEMENT TO THE FAA. THE PILOT HAS 41.3 HOURS IN TYPE AND 577.5 HOURS TOTAL TIME. HE RECEIVED HIS GYROCOPTER ENDORSEMENT IN OCTOBER 2024 AND LAST FLIGHT WITH A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR WAS 2 WEEKS PRIOR FOR RECURRENT TRAINING AND EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AFTER NOT FLYING FOR THE PAST MONTH.