- Date
- November 18, 2017, 17:45 local (Nov 19, 2017, 00:45 UTC)
- Place
- Casa Grande, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N953LSJohn Roscoe Autogyro Cavalon
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report February 21, 2018
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20171118019189A
- Case key
- 96340
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in loss of directional control and a subsequent runway excursion.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, during landing, the right wheel touched down first on the runway, and the gyroplane veered to the right. He added that, the "aircraft bounced from one wheel to the other" multiple times until the main rotor blade struck the runway. The gyroplane then rolled to the right, slid off the runway, and came to rest on its left side. A postcrash fire ignited in the engine compartment and consumed the gyroplane. The gyroplane was destroyed. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during landing, the right wheel touched down first on the runway and the gyroplane veered to the right. He added that, the "aircraft bounced from one wheel to the other" multiple times until the main rotor blade struck the runway. The gyroplane then rolled to the right, slid off the runway and came to rest on its left side. A post-crash fire ignited in the engine compartment and consumed the gyroplane. The gyroplane was destroyed. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N953LS
- Reported as
- John Roscoe Autogyro Cavalon (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- V00110
- Built
- 2013
- Airframe hours
- 241
- Engine
- Rotax 914, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 18, 2017
- Departed
- E77 · San Manuel, AZ
- Destination
- CGZ · Casa Grande, AZ
- Airport
- CGZ · Casa Grande Muni, runway 05, 5,200 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 68
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Unknown
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 300 total · 200 as pilot in command · 12 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.04 inHg
- Observed at
- KCHD, 19 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 25, 2018, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.8 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.