Incident Overview
On Sunday, 29 November 2020, at approximately 08:30, a Gyroplane model G2sA was conducting a flight at an altitude of about 1500 feet. While turning for the right-hand downwind leg of Props & Gears runway 32 (a right-hand circuit was in use due to cables west of the runway), a portion of the left-hand side exhaust system detached.
Propeller Damage and Engine Shutdown
The broken exhaust part struck the composite propeller, which is configured as a pusher. Damage occurred on one of the three blades, leading to severe vibrations. The pilot in command immediately switched off the engine and initiated an emergency landing.
Emergency Landing
The aircraft landed in a field on top of a hill, approximately 600 meters east of the runway. The field had been freshly plowed and featured an upslope. The landing was performed on a westerly heading. Due to the soft, plowed ground, the nose wheel collapsed. As the gyroplane came to a stop in a nose-down attitude, the rotor tips contacted the ground. The stored energy from the autorotating rotor caused the rotor to stop violently.
Occupant Status and Evacuation
Both occupants were unharmed, with no injuries reported. The front-seat occupant sustained a minor scratch on the leg during a hasty evacuation of the cockpit, which was carried out as a precaution against a potential fire. No injuries or property damage to third parties occurred as a result of the emergency landing.
Aircraft Damage
The gyroplane sustained damage to the propeller, nose wheel, and rotor system.
Preflight Inspection
The preflight inspection conducted prior to the flight did not reveal any existing damage to the exhaust system.
Report Prepared By
Captain Ioannis Loizou, Chairman of the Air Accident Investigation and Incident Board (AAIIB).