Fatal - Cavalon N477AG - Oregon - 28-5-20

Steve_UK

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I'm not a pilot but have been lucky enough to fly in Mi-24 Hind, Mi-2, Mi-17, Lynx HAS3, Gliders, GA
The FAA ASIAS summary states, near Roseburg, Oregon on 28-5-20

"AIRCRAFT CRASHED UNDER UNKNOWN CIRCUMSTANCES IN A FILED AND POST CRASH FIRE, ROSEBURG, OR." ( assume field )


The gyro was originally registered as new in 2015
 
I was getting ready to post a photo from the local newspaper showing rotorblades on the ground & wanted to ask if anyone recognizes what appears to be a gyroplane hub bar w/ six bolts in it (bottom left of photo).


Looks like both rotorblades are alongside each other on the right. The one w/out any apparent damage might still be connected to the hub bar. Foliage & shadows are concealing a clear view.
Hub bar looks similar to close up photos Kolibri posted last year of Autogyro extruded "Clamshell" (extruded?) piece covering hub bar...?

It was a very hot day yesterday in Oregon. First day over 90 F. this year. Maybe density altitude a factor? From the location, crash occurred up in the hills south of Roseburg, Oregon. Roseburg is south of the Willamette Valley, & is usually hotter & drier than points north of there.

A N# search reveals it is co-owned, & registered to a fella in Olympia, Washington. 914 powered.

Gyroplane crash Douglas county Oregon 05-28-20.jpg
 
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Katheryn's Report shows this particular Cavalon has developed a storied history of accidents: 2016 in Texas, 2019 in Washington, & now 2020 in Oregon...

From the pilot's description of that 2019 accident, it sounds eerily like other accidents where the pilot did not know how to properly take off in a gyroplane. Also noteworthy in this report is that NO Operating Certificate was held by the pilot!

Sadly, his attempts to correctly follow what is taught by Gyroplane CFI's appear to have permanently ended. It would be interesting to know what, if any, training in a gyroplane from a CFI, this pilot received.

" According to the pilot, he was conducting takeoff and landings from runway 23. He reported that he had previously been lifting off the runway at about 56 miles per hour and on the fourth takeoff roll he noticed the airspeed had reached 60 knots. He then applied slight aft control stick. The gyrocopter rapidly pitched up, nose high into the air and began to yaw to the right. He said that he heard a loud bang and the gyrocopter quickly struck the runway. He recalled the engine had stopped running when the gyrocopter came to a stop."
-http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2016/10/cavalon-autogyro-gmbh-n477ag-incident.html

Also, the day prior to this fatal accident, on May 27th, this website shows a flight from the Petaluma/Santa Rosa area of northern California, terminating @ Redding, Ca.:

Showing flight starting around 1755 hrs. on 05-27 @ 2,575', terminating @ 6,500' @ 00:04 @ Redding? Night flight? ADS-B possibly turned off @ that late hour?
 
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yes - briefly mentioned here on RWF

 
Katheryn's Report shows this particular Cavalon has developed a storied history of accidents: 2016 in Texas, 2019 in Washington, & now 2020 in Oregon...

From the pilot's description of that 2019 accident, it sounds eerily like other accidents where the pilot did not know how to properly take off in a gyroplane. Also noteworthy in this report is that NO Operating Certificate was held by the pilot!

Sadly, his attempts to correctly follow what is taught by Gyroplane CFI's appear to have permanently ended. It would be interesting to know what, if any, training in a gyroplane from a CFI, this pilot received.

" According to the pilot, he was conducting takeoff and landings from runway 23. He reported that he had previously been lifting off the runway at about 56 miles per hour and on the fourth takeoff roll he noticed the airspeed had reached 60 knots. He then applied slight aft control stick. The gyrocopter rapidly pitched up, nose high into the air and began to yaw to the right. He said that he heard a loud bang and the gyrocopter quickly struck the runway. He recalled the engine had stopped running when the gyrocopter came to a stop."
-http://www.kathrynsreport.com/2016/10/cavalon-autogyro-gmbh-n477ag-incident.html

Also, the day prior to this fatal accident, on May 27th, this website shows a flight from the Petaluma/Santa Rosa area of northern California, terminating @ Redding, Ca.:

Showing flight starting around 1755 hrs. on 05-27 @ 2,575', terminating @ 6,500' @ 00:04 @ Redding? Night flight? ADS-B possibly turned off @ that late hour?

The current registered owner Pauling, Adrian Lee has SPORT ENDORSEMENT(S) GYROPLANE, WEIGHT-SHIFT-CONTROL LAND issued 1/31/2019.

That is not to say he is the accident pilot.

It is generally not dark in California between 17:55 and 00:04.

Currently in Redding Civil twilight ends at 00:04.

Last time I looked Redding is around 504 feet MSL.
 
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The flight in the day prior to the fatal accident shows ADS-B reporting starting @ some 2,500'+, when the local area ASL is less than 100'.

Redding ASL of 500' is certainly far lower than when the ADS-B last showed 6,500'.
 
The flight in the day prior to the fatal accident shows ADS-B reporting starting @ some 2,500'+, when the local area ASL is less than 100'.

Redding ASL of 500' is certainly far lower than when the ADS-B last showed 6,500'.

Perhaps the data is from a mode C transponder.

This is radar line of sight.

San Luis Obispo loses my transponder through the Avilla pass that is less than five miles from the airport and twenty miles from the radar station in Santa Maria. The hills get in the way of line of sight.

It could also just be bad data.

On 5/27/2020 Flight Aware shows N477AG first seen at 3:28 pacific daylight time near Navato, CA and last seen 7:05 pacific daylight time near Roseburg, Oregon.

It shows another short flight that day near Navato and two flights the day before near Navato.
 
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I see that I didn't understand the time was in GMT.
But, how does the altitude flown @ both the start & end show such high values?
 
Possible the pilot had been to Cierva Aviation in Petaluma, Ca., since his flight on the 27th originated very near there...
 
I see that I didn't understand the time was in GMT.
But, how does the altitude flown @ both the start & end show such high values?
On 5/27/2020 Flight Aware shows N477AG first seen at 3:28 pacific daylight time near Navato, CA and last seen 7:05 pacific daylight time near Roseburg, Oregon.

It shows another short flight that day near Navato and two flights the day before near Navato.

Flight aware shows an average altitude of 7,100 feet MSL and an average ground speed of 78kts.

This looks like mode C transponder data to me.

Radar tracking is line of sight.

San Luis Obispo loses my transponder through the Avilla pass that is less than five miles from the airport and twenty miles from the radar station in Santa Maria. The hills get in the way of line of sight.

Petaluma is 9.9 nautical miles north of Navato.

I have not given instruction to the registered owner.
 
If you know any thing about Redding, just miles east, west, and north, mountains, I would imagine when leaving Redding you'd clime like hell if your following hwy5.
 
Will be interesting to know what phase of the flight this was - take off/landing/go around/upper air.

Wonder what fuel was being used?
 
Is it just me ...but we seem to have a lot of Cavalon incidents? it’s not a particularly difficult gyro to fly, it does have one common denominator, the owners are normally well healed, Could this mean they are captains of industry and are very confident or feel they do not need to really take instruction from a lowly gyroplane instructor?
 
Hello mate - Caveated to say nothing to do with this accident but in general terms, not sure its an attitude thing, but I do think for some reason age in gyroplanes generally is very old - which means you have a demographic flying them that fundamentally isn't as sharp as they could be. Add to which there is a section of influence in gyroplanes that is just wilfully blinkered to some quick wins that would make a huge difference. So IMO we are set to repeat the same kind of accidents, especially in the USA where there is a very wide range of freedom to be able to fly these things. Tin hat on... await incoming.
 
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