- Date
- June 18, 2019, 20:20 local (Jun 19, 2019, 02:20 UTC)
- Place
- Nephi, UT
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N882MAutogyro Cavalon
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190618007489A
- Case key
- 99661
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 insufficient rudder input during takeoff, which resulted in a loss of yaw control and a hard landing.
Findings · 4
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 takeoff, he rotated around 55 knots and that the gyroplane instantly yawed left about 45°. The pilot reported that he was "behind the power curve" and that the gyroplane could not climb or gain airspeed. The gyroplane began to descend, the pilot turned left, and the gyroplane landed hard and rolled to the right side. The pilot added that he believed that the gyroplane initially yawed left during the climb because of the "P-factor due to [a newly installed] more powerful engine" and that he failed to add right rudder input to correct. He added that it was his first test flight with the new engine. The gyroplane sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The gyroplane pilot reported that, during takeoff, he rotated around 55 knots and the gyroplane instantly yawed to the left about 45°. The pilot reported that he was "behind the power curve" and could not climb or gain airspeed. The gyroplane began to descend, the pilot turned left, and the gyroplane landed hard and rolled to the right side. The pilot added that, during the initial climb yaw, he believed it was because of the "P-factor due to [a newly installed] more powerful engine" and that he failed to add right rudder input to correct. He added that it was his first test flight with the new engine. The gyroplane sustained substantial damage to the tailboom. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N882M
- Reported as
- Autogyro Cavalon
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- V00360
- Built
- 2019
- Airframe hours
- 13.5
- Engine
- Rotax 915, 130 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · April 17, 2019
- Departed
- U14 · Nephi, UT
- Destination
- U14 · Nephi, UT
- Airport
- U14 · Nephi Muni, runway 35, 6,300 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display, Electronic primary flight display
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
- 66
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Waiver time limited special
- Last flight review
- November 7, 2018
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 227.5 total · 82.6 in this make and model · 126.8 as pilot in command · 7.3 in the last 90 days · 7.3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.02 inHg
- Observed at
- KPVU, 29 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 24, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 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.