Gyro fatalities the result of an engine out?

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I’ve been wondering how many if any fatalities in gyroplanes are the results of an engine out.

I have seen one engine out and have heard of many many more. However I know of none that resulted in a fatality.

Does anyone know of any fatalities that were caused from a simple engine out?
 
Thank you Kai


That makes two in many many engine outs.

I’m wondering if there is a big difference in the fatality rate do to engine out, between fixed wing and gyro.
 
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The accident as ref. by Kai above, is about the worst situation to experience an engine failure. IMO, lots of trees (forests) would be the worst, followed by wires, a high density of people or buildings and then a great expanse of water.

I have had a number of engine failures in the years past and was very lucky to have been over open land and only once over water, but did make the shoreline for a safe landing. To this day, I will skirt any area that I could not glide to a safe landing, if needed.

IMO, any gyro driver with a modicum of practiced engine outs, can make a safe landing if a real engine failure occurs, and with an open area available.

People; practice those engine outs, as well as spot landings. This practice is fun as well as being practical. :)


Cheers :)
 
Having experienced one during my first 40 hours of flying, I agree; fly only over what you can land on.
 
Ditto what Tommy said. I had an engne out in my first hour of solo flight. I simply landed. I always try to fly over somewhere I can land.
 
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How common is an engine out?

From what is being described it seems to happen often.
 
Always fly over something you can land on and always be looking for place to put it down. I've had 3......none were anything special......just practice and follow your training.


Barry (sometimes silence is not good) K
 
I think it was Chuck that summed it up best for me, regarding mac's.
The first time he landed with the motor still running he didn't know what to do as (motor still running) landings were not covered in the Benson training manual.

He was sort of kidding, I think?
 
If your go'n to test fly any new power unit, bolt it to a gyro, coz if you find its not up to it, just land.
 
I ve never let any of my students to fly the circuit before adequate training
with engine out landings.
Its showed that I was right.
 
The way the question is written it seems to imply an engine out is deadly. Any engine out that results in a fatality (extreemly few in gyros I believe) I would suggest is really a pilot judgement or error issue. Flying over the wrong terrain or botched landing.
 
An engine out in a FW UL seems to be more dangerous. The 4 or 5 I know of around here only 2 landed safely. 2 of them destroyed their planes and the other was fatal. Some of those could also be blamed on poor pilot judgement for flying over terrain they couldn't land on.

As far as the causes for these engine outs. 2 were cold seizures where they didn't let their engines warm up before they took off. 2 ran out of fuel. 1 had a spark plug pop out and the other was undetermined.
 
Yes ... engine outs in a fixed wing are more dangerous ... but you hardly ever hear of engine outs. In more than 30 years of flying I do not know anyone who had an engine out in a fixed wing.

But in Gyros ... you hear about them all the time. Why? I am relatively new to this sport.

There must be a reason. Anyone know the stats on specific engines? The more reliable? The lease reliable?

In a gyro is it a matter of "when" ... not "If".

Tom
 
I can't see engine problems being specific to the kind of vehicle it's in, assuming other variables like vibration or exposure to the elements are equal. Is the liklihood of an engine out in, say, a Breezy (exposed pusher engine) or most ultralights greater than or less than that of a gyro of similar weight, power & engine type/make? Seems to me it would be specific to the individual engine & maintainence.
 
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