- Date
- March 23, 2022, 11:50 local (18:50 UTC)
- Place
- El Monte, CA
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N1688BAutogyro Cavalon
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20220323004089A
- Case key
- 104846
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 diverted attention during landing, which resulted in a loss of directional control.
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 of the gyroplane reported that, during the landing roll, he diverted his attention to the dial of the rotor rpm and the gyroplane inadvertently ascended when he did not hold the control stick steady. He attempted to regain control by pushing the control stick forward, but the gyroplane rolled to the right, and the main rotor blade contacted the ground. The gyroplane came to rest on its left side and sustained substantial damage to the stabilizer and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1688B
- Reported as
- Autogyro Cavalon (NO SERIES EXISTS)
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- V00123
- Built
- 2013
- Airframe hours
- 231.8
- Engine
- BRP Powertrain Rotax 914 UL, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal; Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · March 11, 2022
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- EMT · San Gabriel Valley, runway 19, 3,995 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Handheld GPS, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- Certificates
- Sport Pilot, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot
- Last flight review
- October 27, 2020
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 471.4 total · 169 in this make and model · 471.4 as pilot in command · 12.7 in the last 90 days · 3.1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft
- Temperature
- 28 °F, dew point 1 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.14 inHg
- Observed at
- KEMT
- METAR
- SA 23/03/2022 17:50-> METAR KEMT 231750Z 13007KT 10SM CLR 28/01 A3014=
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 2, 2022, 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.