# Incident 20250619008309I: Rotorsport Uk Ltd ROTORSPORT UK CAVALO, Torrance, CA, June 19, 2025

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 19, 2025, 15:00 local time
- Place: Torrance, CA
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.8305° N, 118.3566° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Torrance, CA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8305&lon=-118.3566&mi=10
- Aircraft: N378WX, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N378WX) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Rotorsport UK ROTORSPORT UK CAVALO (registry code 05636HX, https://openairdocs.org/model/rotorsport-uk-rotorsport-uk-cavalo) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 914UL (registry code 55553, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-914ul) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROTORSPORT UK LTD ROTORSPORT UK CAVALO
- Reported engine: ROTAX 914UL
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 577 total, 41 in this make and model
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250619008309I

## Narrative

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

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.

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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