What happened
On 10 February 2022, a private flight involving a RAF 2000GTX SE gyrocopter, registration ZU-DYO, was conducting touch-and-go training exercises at Mossel Bay Aerodrome in the Western Cape. The flight was being operated under visual meteorological conditions at night. During the landing roll on Runway 28, a crosswind originating from the right side of the aircraft caused the gyrocopter to veer toward the left. The pilot attempted to regain control, but the aircraft rolled onto its left side, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. There were no fatalities and no injuries reported in the incident.
The investigation
SACAA AIID examined the circumstances surrounding the loss of control. The investigation noted that the pilot did not check the weather focus report for the area prior to the flight. While there is no local weather station at Mossel Bay, the nearest report from George Aerodrome indicated variable winds between 050 and 110 degrees at approximately 5 knots. These conditions were well within the aircraft's demonstrated crosswind limit of 32 km/h.
Data regarding the landing parameters revealed that the pilot approached the runway at a speed of 70 mph. This significantly exceeded the manufacturer's recommended approach speed of 60 mph and the recommended round-out speed of 40 mph. The investigation also confirmed that the pilot held a valid National Pilot Licence and the aircraft's maintenance release was current at the time of the accident.
Findings
- The primary cause of the accident was the pilot landing at an excessive speed, which led to a loss of control during the landing roll.
- The aircraft was unstable during the approach and experienced a hard touchdown.
- The pilot failed to adhere to the safe operating procedures and speed limitations specified in the aircraft's flight manual.