Accident pilot was not new to flying gyros, nor new to having crashed in a gyro.
See the article RE: his prior crash in a Cavalon.
"...In August 2020, Jensen had been involved in a gyrocopter crash near Upper Lake.
Both Berlinn and NTSB records confirmed that the aircraft involved in the August 2020 crash was not the same as the one that crashed this week. The gyrocopter in the earlier incident belonged to Jensen, according to federal records.
In the 2020 crash, Jensen had a male passenger from Windsor riding with him as they were flying over the Clover Valley area in his two-seat 2017 Autogyro Cavalon.
His own narrative of the flight explained that he had dropped down for a closer look while passing over a ranch belonging to an old flying friend when, as he was making a pass, he looked backward and accidentally pulled the stick backward as well, causing the aircraft to slow down and drop altitude.
The account said the gyrocopter fell through the trees and hit the ground. While the fuselage remained intact, much of the rest of the aircraft was destroyed.
The sheriff’s office reported at the time that both Jensen and his passenger were conscious and alert, and later airlifted out of the county for medical treatment.
Federal aviation investigations can take months to complete, so a finding on the Thursday crash’s cause is not expected immediately.
Meantime, the sheriff’s office said it is conducting a coroner’s investigation."
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the investigation into the cause of a fatal gyrocopter crash on Thursday is underway and being led by federal aviation officials.
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