# NTSB DEN08CA001: Degelia Rotor Flight Dynamic, N444PD, Ashland, KY, October 2, 2007

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: October 2, 2007, 18:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place: Ashland, KY
- Coordinates: 38.554443, -82.733612
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5544&lon=-82.7336&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed, report November 29, 2007
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 66816
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN08CA001
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/66816/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08CA001

## Probable cause

the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing flare resulting in a hard landing. Contributing factors were the crosswind and the pilot's failure to recover from a bounced landing.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, landing - flare/touchdown
  - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor)
- Loss of control - in flight, landing - flare/touchdown
  - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - recovery from bounced landing - not performed, pilot in command (contributing factor)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, landing - flare/touchdown
  - terrain condition - ground

## Analysis

According to the pilot he was conducting touch and go landings. During the landing flare the nose of the gyroplane drifted to the right. The pilot reported that he was not able to compensate for the winds. The gyroplane impacted the runway with the left landing gear followed by the right landing gear. The gyroplane bounced and impacted the runway again, coming to rest on its side, resulting in minor damage. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The pilot reported winds 90 degrees to the runway at 10 to 15 miles per hour. An examination of the gyroplane's structure and systems revealed minor damage and no anomalies.

## Factual narrative

According to a telephone conversation with the pilot, he was conducting touch and go landings to runway 28 (5,602 feet by 100 feet, asphalt). He stated that during the landing flare, the nose of the gyroplane drifted to the right. The pilot reported that he was not able to compensate for the winds. The gyroplane impacted the runway with the left landing gear followed by the right landing gear. The gyroplane bounced and impacted the runway again, coming to rest on its side. The left landing gear separated and the rotor blade sustained impact damage. The pilot reported winds 90 degrees to the runway at 10 to 15 miles per hour.

The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the gyroplane. An examination of the gyroplane's structure and systems, conducted by the FAA, revealed minor damage and no anomalies. The pilot sustained serious injury during the impact.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N444PD](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N444PD-2012-07-10), registration cancelled 2012-07-10, S/N PD-1, built 2004 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: Degelia Rotor Flight Dynamic
- Registry model: [Degelia Phil 1](https://openairdocs.org/model/degelia-phil-1) (registry code 05617VI) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax SEE BOMBADIER](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-see-bombadier) (registry code 55555, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: PD-1
- Airframe hours: 68
- Engines: Bombardier-Rotax Type 582 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection: Condition, March 1, 2007
- Departed: KDWU, Ashland, KY
- Destination: KDWU, Ashland, KY
- Airport: DWU, Ashland Regional Airport, runway 28, 5,602 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 55; injuries: serious; private; medical: class 3, without waivers/limitations; last flight review July 1, 2005; seat: single; flight hours: 91 total, 66 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observed at: KHTS

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20071002830529A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20071002830529A), Oct 2, 2007: Degeli 1, Ashland, KY, Minor damage. (-23) The pilot operated his single-place, amateur built, experimental category gyroplane on a FAR part 91 flight. The local flight was conducted out of kdwu…

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.

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