What happened
On 23 August 2014, a Dominator Ultrawall gyroplane, registration EI-EZY, was performing a local flight departing from a private garden in Athenry, Co. Galway. The pilot had completed a one-hour flight and was attempting to land back at the same residential site. During the final approach, the aircraft experienced a sudden sink at a low altitude of approximately 16 feet. Although the pilot applied power to compensate, the aircraft touched down heavily. Upon impact, the nosewheel leg fractured, causing the nosewheel to separate from the airframe. This loss of structural stability caused the gyroplane to topple onto its side, resulting in substantial damage to the rotor blades, propeller, and tail assembly. The pilot escaped the wreckage without injury.
The investigation
The AAIU examined the landing site, which was a narrow grass area situated between a house and a fence. The investigation reviewed the aircraft's maintenance history, noting that while a Certificate of Fitness for Flight had been issued recently for maintenance purposes, there was no evidence of a renewed Flight Permit at the time of the accident. Investigators also analyzed the mechanical failure of the landing gear, noting that the nosewheel may have been oriented 90 degrees to the direction of travel upon contact, contributing to the fracture of the leg.