Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during a takeoff. A factor related to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in gyroplanes.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
On November 21, 2004, at 1530 eastern standard time, a homebuilt RAF-2000 GTX SE Gyroplane, N9327B, was substantially damaged while departing from the Chatham Municipal Airport (CQX), Chatham, Massachusetts. The certificated private pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local instructional flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
According to the pilot, he had just completed 20 hours of dual instruction in the gyroplane, and was signed off by his instructor to conduct solo operations.
After successfully completing his second solo landing, the pilot allowed the gyroplane to roll out on the runway, and before coming to a stop, applied power to take off again. The gyroplane suddenly veered to the left and rolled over.
The pilot added that he forgot to come to a complete stop in the gyroplane, from habit of flying fixed-wing airplanes for 16 years, and that "you must first come to a complete stop," before taking off after a landing.
The winds observed by the pilot, at the time of the accident, were calm.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# NYC05CA019