Summary
On January 27, 2008, a James Dayton Pit Bull JD-3 (N6592H) was involved in an incident near Leonardtown, MD. All 1 person aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's improper flare during the landing.
The pilot stated he was "crow hopping" down the runway in the amateur-built Pit Bull JD-3 gyrocopter, practicing landing and taking off. During one of the landings, he did not control the rate of descent, and the gyrocopter "settled" hard on the runway. During the impact, the left main landing gear collapsed and the gyrocopter rolled onto its left side, substantially damaging the fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the gyrocopter. Additionally, he reported 2 hours of flight experience in a similar gyrocopter, 8 months prior to the accident. The pilot did not hold a rotorcraft-gyroplane rating.
This incident is documented in NTSB report NYC08CA093. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N6592H.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's improper flare during the landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The pilot stated he was "crow hopping" down the runway in the amateur-built Pit Bull JD-3 gyrocopter, practicing landing and taking off. During one of the landings, he did not control the rate of descent, and the gyrocopter "settled" hard on the runway. During the impact, the left main landing gear collapsed and the gyrocopter rolled onto its left side, substantially damaging the fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical anomalies with the gyrocopter. Additionally, he reported 2 hours of flight experience in a similar gyrocopter, 8 months prior to the accident. The pilot did not hold a rotorcraft-gyroplane rating.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# NYC08CA093