IAD99LA012

The pilot flew three traffic patterns in the gyroplane. He reported that he was experiencing difficulty with the gusty, crosswind conditions. On the fourth approach with a crosswind from the left, the gyroplane bounced during the landing, rolled to the right, and collided with terrain. The pilot said there were no mechanical deficiencies with the gyroplane, and the accident could have been prevented if he was 'better rested and mentally sharp.'

On November 3, 1998, at 0950 eastern standard time, a homebuilt RAF-2000 gyroplane, N52BP, was substantially damaged after a loss of control and collision with terrain during landing at the Doylestown Airport (DYL), Doylestown, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local personal flight that originated at DYL approximately 0910. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

In a telephone interview, the pilot said he departed on a local flight without obtaining a weather briefing and remained in the traffic pattern for runway 05. He said:

"I was coming in on final for 05 and there was a crosswind from the left and it was kind of gusty. Just before touchdown, I got out of position. I came in on kind of an angle and the wind got under the rotors and rolled me over."

In a written statement, the pilot said he completed two takeoffs and landings and performed a go-around on the third approach. He said he departed the pattern for spacing and re-entered the downwind leg for landing on runway 05. According to the pilot:

"I decided that this 3rd landing was going to be my last because my second landing was a little rough because of a crosswind, and I was tired and wasn't concentrating well enough to deal with the crosswind...On final I let the airspeed of my gyro get too slow a few feet above the runway, causing my gyro to make a hard landing. [This] caused my gyro to bounce up into the air a little, and a crosswind coming from the left lifted the left side of the gyro."

The gyro plane rolled to the right, collided with terrain, and came to rest on its left side.

When questioned about the airworthiness of the gyroplane, the pilot stated it was "...performing fine." He said he had a total flight experience of approximately 140 hours; 50 hours of which were in the gyroplane.

In the Recommendation section of the NTSB Form 6120.1/2 (How Could This Accident Have Been Prevented), the pilot said:

"This accident could have been prevented if I was better rested, and was mentally sharp and prepared for any problems. The landing during which I had the accident was going to be my last because I knew I was getting tired and [I] wasn't performing very well in the crosswind."

Winds reported at the Willow Grove Naval Air Station, 10 miles south of Doylestown, were from 010 degrees at 7 knots.