What happened
On 10 November 2021, a solo training flight for aircraft type conversion ended in a fatal accident near Overulate Airstrip in Musina, Limolog Province. The pilot was operating an ELA-08 Gyrocopter, registration ZU-EHW, performing a series of touch-and-go circuits. An instructor was monitoring the flight from the ground via radio.
During the second circuit, while on the downwind leg at approximately 350 feet above ground level, the pilot was performing vital cockpit checks. Suddenly, the aircraft experienced a sharp, aggressive yaw to the left and began to sideslip. The aircraft subsequently tilted to the right and entered a tumble-roll, losing altitude before crashing into nearby vegetation roughly 500 metres from the runway threshold. The pilot sustained fatal injuries, passing away four days after the impact.
The investigation
SACAA AIID investigators examined the wreckage and the circumstances surrounding the flight. The investigation established that the pilot was conducting the ninth of ten required solo hours for a type conversion rating. Meteorological conditions at the time were clear with good visibility and mild winds.
Physical evidence at the scene included the pilot's helmet, which was found near a thorn tree with the headset cable still attached to the cockpit's audio jack. Examination of the aircraft revealed substantial damage to the fuselage, rotor blades, and propeller. Investigators also analyzed a failed rod end component in the control stick; however, they determined this part failed due to the extreme forces of the crash itself and was not a contributing factor to the accident.
Findings
The investigation concluded that the primary cause of the accident was unintended left rudder pedal input at a high-power setting. This aggressive input was triggered when the pilot attempted to grab his helmet, which had slipped or fallen off his head during the downwind checks. Because the helmet's strap was not properly secured through the lock/hook, the sudden movement caused the aircraft to lose stability, leading to the fatal tumble-roll.