Based on the immediately available information, it was lack of recent flying experience that might have led to rotor mismanagement.wonder what caused this
Makes one ask why the hell did he not ask an instructor to just go for a check ride ….it would have been cheaper and this accident could have been avoided and he could have been killed…confidence in the gyro game is unbelievable…as one of my instructors said to me years ago when I was converting with only helicopter exp and I was cocky he said It kills just as quickly and those words ring in my head often to remind one not to be over confident
Time will tell …I think it’s great that you are documenting accidents of course if the pilot could tell us that would be great,,, sadly in many accidents the pilots ego outstrips the need to improve flight safteyConflicting reports are the norm to begin with.
But if the gyro-pilot's report is genuine, I'd go with that...
I think all aircraft would be unforgiving with sloppy piloting technique…what is it so many Cavalons are on the left side….is it poor instruction? Is the well healed owner to busy to take instruction seriously ? Feeling he is above the instructor pay grade? I don’t know ? I don’t find them difficult to fly at all, all aircraft are different and one needs to pay attention when getting the type ratingCavalons are very unforgiving with sloppy take off and landing techniques.
Well this contradicts Henry Gyrolife ( a guy who is very popular on FB) …read his comments in one of my posts further back ..he clearly states the gyro was in the take off phase ..anyway glad pilot is ok.The brief FAA ASIAS entry shows - "AIRCRAFT MADE A HARD LANDING FOLLOWED BY ROTOR STRIKE AND ROLLED ON ITS SIDE, EL MONTE, CA."
Another @#$ giving the Cavalon and Gyros more negative publicity, and raising the price of insurance. The Cavalon is not a short take off aircraft, despite windy videos. You need to get plenty of airspeed at a low height before you take off. Love and fly it, or leave it. I fly a Cavalon 915 at least 2 to 3 times a week weather and wife permitting. VY = 60 knots, and 70 knots even better.
News said he landed. You can land during take off also. He just landed early....
Welcome to the Rotary Wing Forum Kinetic."what is it so many Cavalons are on the left side….is it poor instruction?" 1) Possible, being a fixed winger, he got confused having not flown for a year in a gyro and he reacted the opposite of what he need to do. 2) If he was taking off it looks like he drifted to the left or yawed to the left. 3) if at low speed putting him below the height/velocity curve, and in the (you ain't gonna get it up area) might not have been high enough to put nose down and pick up sufficient speed.