No fatalities

18 Nov 2016: PITCAIRN PA 18 NO SERIES — Philadelphia, PA

Philadelphia, PA, United States

On 18 Nov 2016, a PITCAIRN PA 18 NO SERIES was involved in an aviation accident near Philadelphia, PA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's lack of experience in the gyroplane model and his mental preparedness biased toward preventing a ground loop rather than a dynamic rollover. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A tailwheel-equipped gyroplane rolled right during landing and impacted the ground, sustaining substantial damage. The pilot cited lack of experience with the model and a mental bias against ground looping.

Accident Overview

A tailwheel-equipped gyroplane was substantially damaged after it rolled onto its right side during landing and impacted the runway. The pilot reported that he landed on the right main landing gear, after which the gyroplane began rolling to the right. The aircraft's heading was aligned to the left of the runway centerline and continued in a left direction of travel.

Pilot Actions

The pilot attempted to correct the right roll by moving the control stick to the left, but the aileron movement did not stop the roll. In hindsight, the pilot stated that opening the throttle and applying right rudder might have arrested the roll, but his mental preparedness was biased towards preventing a ground loop rather than a dynamic rollover. The gyroplane continued to roll right and struck the ground, coming to rest on the runway.

Damage

The gyroplane sustained substantial damage to the main rotor system, right wing, and empennage.

Pilot Experience

The pilot reported that his lack of experience in this specific gyroplane model contributed to the accident, noting that the critical angle was exceeded more quickly in this gyroplane compared to others he was accustomed to flying.

Mechanical Condition

According to the pilot, there were no pre-accident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Probable cause

The pilot's lack of experience in the gyroplane model and his mental preparedness biased toward preventing a ground loop rather than a dynamic rollover.

Contributing factors

PilotLateral/bank control — Not attained/maintained