What happened
On 30 August 2003, a Montgomerie-Bensen B8MR Autogyro, registration G-BVAZ, was performing a private flight from Newtownards, County Down. During the climb phase, at an altitude of approximately 150 feet, the aircraft's engine failed. The pilot responded by executing a forced landing straight ahead along the remaining portion of Runway 04.
While the landing itself was completed on the runway, the aircraft rolled onto its right side immediately after touchdown. This maneuver resulted in damage to the rotors. The pilot was able to exit the aircraft without any injuries.
The investigation
Following the incident, the pilot submitted an accident report. An inspection of the Rotax 582 piston engine was conducted, which identified that the rear piston of the two-cylinder engine had seized.
Regarding the rollover during the landing phase, the pilot noted that a left-hand crosswind of approximately 5 knots was present. The pilot determined that the rollover was caused by a late correction for this crosswind during the touchdown sequence.