Summary
On August 15, 2010, a Clem William B III DOMINATOR GYROCOPTER (N36MR) was involved in an incident near Brighton, CO. 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 failure to maintain control of the gyroplane during landing.
The private pilot was preparing to land his gyroplane when he encountered a downdraft, which increased his rate of descent. The pilot was unable to arrest the descent rate and landed hard. As a result, the left main gear axle broke causing the lower rudder strut to contact the ground. The strut bent upwards into the propeller, splintering the propeller and causing substantial damage to approximately 12 inches of the 68-inch-long rudder. The pilot reported that the downdraft was caused by an 80-degree crosswind that blew over houses just to the northeast of the runway threshold. The pilot did not report any mechanical deficiencies with the gyroplane prior to the accident.
This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN10CA528. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N36MR.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the gyroplane during landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The private pilot was preparing to land his gyroplane when he encountered a downdraft, which increased his rate of descent. The pilot was unable to arrest the descent rate and landed hard. As a result, the left main gear axle broke causing the lower rudder strut to contact the ground. The strut bent upwards into the propeller, splintering the propeller and causing substantial damage to approximately 12 inches of the 68-inch-long rudder. The pilot reported that the downdraft was caused by an 80-degree crosswind that blew over houses just to the northeast of the runway threshold. The pilot did not report any mechanical deficiencies with the gyroplane prior to the accident.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN10CA528