# NTSB ERA24LA008: Rotorsport UK Mtosport 2017, N975CD, Easton, MD, October 13, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report
- Date: October 13, 2023, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place: Easton, MD · on AIrport
- Coordinates: 38.80416, -76.06899
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8042&lon=-76.0690&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Takeoff](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/300) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240)
- Highest injury: Serious injuries
- Injuries: 1 serious
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 193244
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA008
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193244/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193244
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA008

## Probable cause

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the gyroplane on takeoff.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Rotorsport UK MTOSPORT 2017, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=7730110), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Rotorsport UK MTOSPORT 2017, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=7730110), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Takeoff: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Rotorsport UK MTOSPORT 2017, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=7730110), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md)
- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [Rotorsport UK MTOSPORT 2017, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=7730110), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot had just purchased the new gyroplane. He completed two delivery flights with a flight instructor, receiving about 1 hour of dual instruction. The pilot said the gyroplane flew beautifully, and he decided to fly home that day. Before takeoff, the pilot checked the flight controls, which functioned normally. There were no birds in the area and the wind was calm. On takeoff, when the gyroplane was about 5 ft above the runway, it made an uncommanded 30° yaw to the right. The pilot said he tried to correct with full left rudder pedal, but there was no response. The pilot said his only option was to reject the takeoff. He reduced power, pushed the nose forward, then pulled the controls back in an attempt to make a soft landing. The pilot stated that the main rotor blades flapped, and the gyroplane rolled before it “dropped” vertically about 15–20 ft to the ground. After the gyroplane came to a stop, the pilot turned off the engine. The pilot did not know why the gyroplane yawed but recalled that the control stick stayed in his hand, and he felt no feedback in the rudder pedals. A postaccident examination of the gyroplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

## Factual narrative

On October 13, 2023, at 1300 eastern daylight time, a RotorSport UK Ltd MTOsport 2017 gyroplane, N975CD, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at Easton Airport/Newnam Field (ESN), Easton, Maryland. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot was a former military helicopter pilot and had stopped flying for about 18 years. He recently returned to flying and decided that a gyroplane was the easiest and most economical transition. The pilot received gyroplane training in the MTOsport 2017 from a local distributor (who was also a flight instructor) and then purchased a new gyroplane directly from the factory. The gyroplane was delivered in September 2023. Before the pilot accepted delivery of the gyroplane, he conducted two flights with the flight instructor/distributor for a total of about 1 hour of dual instruction. The pilot said the gyroplane flew “beautifully…like a Ferrari.” He took official delivery of the gyroplane and then decided to fly the gyroplane from ESN to his home in Virginia that same day. The pilot said that, before he departed, he performed the abbreviated preflight checklist, which included checking the flight controls, and found no issues. He then started the gyroplane and taxied to the active runway, where he performed the before takeoff checklist. The pilot found no issues with the flight controls during the taxi or during the before-takeoff check. The pilot then took off on runway 4. He said he pre-rotated to 200 rpm, and the gyroplane began to roll forward. Once he got “wheel balance” (that is, balancing on the main landing gear without the nose landing gear contacting the surface), he increased rpm, and the gyroplane lifted off the ground. The pilot said that the gyroplane made an uncommanded 30° yaw to the right when it was about 5 ft above the runway. He tried to correct with full left rudder pedal, but there was no response. The pilot said his only option was to reject the takeoff. He reduced power, pushed the nose forward, then pulled the controls back in an attempt to make a soft landing. The pilot stated that the main rotor blades flapped; he could not recall if the gyroplane then rolled left or right before it “dropped” vertically about 15–20 ft to the ground. After the gyroplane came to a stop, the pilot manually turned off the engine. The pilot said that he did not know why the gyroplane yawed but recalled that the control stick stayed in his hand, and he felt no feedback in the rudder pedals. He further stated that there were no birds in the vicinity, and the wind was calm. Postaccident examination of the gyroplane revealed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Flight control system continuity was confirmed from the cockpit controls to each flight control surface.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N975CD](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N975CD), registered now, S/N RSUK-M01994, built 2023 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROTORSPORT UK LTD MTOSPORT 2017
- Registry model: [Rotorsport UK MTOSPORT 2017](https://openairdocs.org/model/rotorsport-uk-mtosport-2017) (registry code 7730110) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rotax 915 IS series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-915-is-series) (registry code 55620, 4 cycle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Gyroplane
- Serial number: RSUK-M01994
- Year built: 2023
- Engines: Rotax 912 ULS 100 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Agusa Pc Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Destination: Fredericksburg, VA
- Airport: ESN, Easton/Newnam Fld, runway 04/22, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 47; injuries: serious; commercial; medical: unknown; seat: center; restraint: 4-point

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 10° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: ESN
- METAR: SPECI KESN 131710Z 01006KT 10SM CLR 19/08 A3000

## 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 20231013018209A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231013018209A), Oct 13, 2023: Rotorsport Uk Ltd MTOSPORT 2017, Easton, MD, Substantial damage. Pilot was taking off from rwy 04 at Easton esn. Pilot reported after liftoff between 10-30 feet off the ground, aircraft started uncommanding right turn. Pilot…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 17, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193244. 1.8 MB in all.

- NTSB record of memo - pilot (item 1, PDF, 2 pages, 79 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18976380&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20MOR%20-%20Pilot-Rel.pdf
- NTSB record of memo - email excerpt with FAA (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 71 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18976088&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Summary%20of%20Email%20-%20FAA-Rel.pdf
- Investigation photos (item 3, PDF, 5 pages, 4 photos, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18975876&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photos-Rel.pdf

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.