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| Date: | Thursday 3 October 2024 |
| Time: | 12:30 UTC |
| Type: |  AutoGyro Calidus |
| Owner/operator: | |
| Registration: | ZU-RHN |
| MSN: | C00192 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 432 hours |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Dibeng Airfield -
 South Africa
|
| Phase: | Take off |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Dibeng Airfield |
| Dibeng Airfield | |
| Investigating agency: | CAA S.A. |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
A pilot on-board a Calidus gyrocopter with registration ZU-RHN was engaged in a private flight from Dibeng Airfield with the intention to land back at the same airfield.
The pilot reported that he conducted a pre-flight inspection and no anomalies were found. Thereafter, he taxied the gyrocopter to Runway 16 and prepared for take-off. He pre-rotated the rotor blades; however, he disengaged the pre-rotator shaft before the rotor speed reached the minimum 200 revolutions per minute (RPM). This caused the pre-rotator to disengage prematurely. Despite the premature disengagement of the pre-rotator and without the required speed being reached, the pilot continued with the take-off run with the hope that the rotor would gain sufficient rotational speed.
Additionally, the pilot stated that he did not pull back the control stick far enough to achieve the necessary angle-of-attack for the rotor blades. As the gyrocopter rolled forward, the rotor blade flapped due to low rotor RPM and the uneven rotation of the rotor disk which prevented the gyrocopter from lifting off. The excessive upward and downward movement of the rotor blades (flapping) caused turbulence and, as a result, the pilot lost grip of the control stick and the gyrocopter rolled to the right. The gyrocopter was destroyed, and the pilot was not injured.
Probable Cause
The gyrocopter's main rotor blades flapped during take-off due to pre-mature disengagement of the pre-rotator before it reached the required rotor speed of 220 RPM.
Contributing Factor(s)
Failure to follow the manufacturer's operational procedures.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
SACAA
History of this aircraft
Other occurrences involving this aircraft
| 9 September 2020 | ZU-RHN | 0 | 100 km from Deban | |
sub |
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Dec-2024 14:36 | ASN | Added |
| 12-Dec-2024 14:37 | ASN | Updated [Aircraft type, Total fatalities, Total occupants, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative, Plane category, ] |
| 12-Dec-2024 14:38 | ASN | Updated [Aircraft type, ] |
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