UNREG

On July 28, 2002, at 1102 eastern daylight time, an Aurandt Rotor Horse unregistered experimental gyrocopter, owned and operated by the student pilot, landed hard following a loss of engine power in Cape Coral, Florida. The personal flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 with no flight plan filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The student pilot reported no injuries, and the gyrocopter sustained substantial damage. The local flight departed a residential yard in Cape Coral, Florida, at 0930 on July 28, 2002.

The student pilot stated the gyrocopter lost engine power during cruise flight at 1,200 feet. The student pilot selected a 300-foot by 180-foot vacant lot in a residential area for an emergency landing. The emergency landing area was surrounded by homes and power lines. During the descent, the student pilot initiated a landing flare about 20 feet above the ground. As the student pilot attempted to decelerate and maneuver to avoid a collision with an obstacle, the gyrocopter dropped vertically and collided with the ground.

The two-seat gyrocopter was an, unregistered aircraft painted with the registration number N6117B. N6117B was previously registered, as an Ashton Rotor Horse, but N6117B registration was cancelled on October 3, 2001, after the Ashton Rotor Horse was destroyed.

The on-site examination of the gyrocopter revealed the nose wheel was bent aft, the main landing gear struts were spread outward, support struts for the tail were broken and portion of the tail assembly sustained crush damage. During a follow-up examination, the student pilot reported that he had removed the engine and it was not available for further examination.