N9012R – RUIZ E RAF 2000 – 2012-03-31 NTSB Accident Report

On March 31, 2012, a Ruiz E RAF 2000 (N9012R) was involved in an incident near Anahuac, TX. All 2 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The student pilot's improper nosewheel and cyclic positioning during the taxi, which resulted in the gyroplane's main rotor contacting the runway surface. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate supervision.

The student pilot and flight instructor were practicing some takeoffs, flight maneuvers, and landings in the student pilot's gyroplane. After landing on the runway with a right crosswind, the student pilot attempted to taxi the gyroplane back to the hangar. During the taxi forward, the gyroplane began to roll to the right and the rotor blades contacted the runway. The student pilot felt the nose wheel and cyclic positions at the time of the forward taxi were the reasons for the roll to the right. The gyroplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage structure. The student pilot and flight instructor reported no mechanical malfunctions prior to the accident.

This incident is documented in NTSB report CEN12CA226. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N9012R.