ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 176879
This information is added by users of ASN. Neither ASN nor the Flight Safety Foundation are responsible for the completeness or correctness of this information.
If you feel this information is incomplete or incorrect, you can submit corrected information.
| Date: | Monday 30 March 2015 |
| Time: | 09:21 |
| Type: |  Magni M24C Orion |
| Owner/operator: | Private |
| Registration: | G-YROD |
| MSN: | 24-14-8714 |
| Year of manufacture: | 2014 |
| Engine model: | Rotax 914-UL |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Location: | Old Warden Airfield, 7 miles ESE of Bedford, Bedfordshire -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Fairoaks, Surrey (EGTF) |
| Old Warden, Bedfordshire (EGTH) | |
| Investigating agency: | AAIB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The gyroplane had departed Fairoaks Airport for a flight to Old Warden Airfield. As it arrived overhead Old Warden after a flight of about one hour, the pilot noticed that the wind was blowing from about 290 degrees, having veered from 260-270 degrees when he had taken off. The weather was clear and bright and the windsocks at both ends of Runway 21 he assessed as indicating a steady 10-15 knots, compared with the 7 knots when he departed Fairoaks.
After a normal circuit, whilst the aircraft was on finals, the pilot experienced significant crosswind gusts which led to lateral yawing, so he extended finals in order to align the landing gear wheels before landing long. However, before touchdown, he experienced a severe gust which led him to apply power and attempt a go-around. At this point, the gust reduced in strength, resulting in the gyroplane yawing left and departing the runway towards a fence alongside the runway.
The pilot raised the nose to avoid the fence but this caused a significant loss of airspeed such that the machine could no longer maintain flight. It also reduced rudder authority and the pilot lowered the nose to regain control but the aircraft impacted the ground and the rotor blades struck the grass. The gyrocopter fell onto its right side and came to rest with the pilot exiting uninjured through the left door.
The pilot was of the opinion that the wind on finals, at 15 gusting 25 knots, was stronger than he had assessed or was expecting. He supplied a series of photographs to the AAIB taken shortly after the accident which showed the windsock varying between hanging near vertically down to about 20 degrees below horizontal. He acknowledges, however, that he should have gone around earlier in the approach
Damage sustained to G-YROD: Per the AAIB report "Extensive damage to rotor system, propeller, fuselage, tail assembly and landing gear". All of which seems to have been enough to render the aircraft as "damaged beyond economic repair", as the registration G-YROD was cancelled by the CAA on 07-01-2016 as "Permanently withdrawn from use"
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
1. AAIB: https://assets.digital.cabinet-office.gov.uk/media/55793aa1e5274a1510000021/Magni_M24C_Orion_G-YROD_06-15.pdf
2. CAA: https://siteapps.caa.co.uk/g-info/rk=YROD
3. https://www.rotaryforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43344
4. https://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surrey-news/gyrocopter-crash-bit-challenge-cobham-9658672
5. https://www.flickr.com/photos/twaircraftphotos/15959357009
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Jun-2015 20:42 | Dr. John Smith | Added |
| 08-Sep-2015 01:06 | Dr. John Smith | Updated [Embed code] |
| 15-Jul-2016 20:00 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2024 Flight Safety Foundation