What happened
On March 26, 2017, an Ela 07S R-115 gyrocopter, registered as A12DOB, crashed near Krzeczyn Wielki, Poland. The flight departed from a landing field in Podgórze at approximately 14:30 LMT. The crew, consisting of a pilot in the rear seat and a passenger in the front seat, reportedly completed two circuit flights before proceeding toward the Lubin area. Around 15:30 LMT, the Air Rescue Service coordinated the emergency response following reports of the accident. The wreckage was located near Krzeczyn Wielki at approximately 16:15 LMT. The impact with the ground resulted in two fatalities.
The investigation
The PKBWL investigation established that the aircraft had been transported to the Podgórze landing field by trailer in February 2017. While the main rotor blades had been installed at this location, there was no documentation to verify the assembly process or the completion of a pre-flight inspection. The investigation also noted that the aircraft had previously suffered damage to a main rotor blade in 2015, but the details regarding the subsequent repair were unknown.
Furthermore, the investigation found that the aircraft was being used for informal training purposes by a pilot who did not hold instructor ratings, conducted outside of a certified training center. Meteorological conditions at the time of the accident were favorable, with clear skies and good visibility, and were not a contributing factor to the crash.
Findings
- The aircraft was being operated without a valid certificate of airworthiness.
- The aircraft lacked mandatory third-party liability insurance.
- The operation involved unauthorized, informal training conducted by a pilot without instructor qualifications.
- There was a lack of documentation regarding the recent assembly of the rotor blades and pre-flight inspections.