Degelia ROTOR FLIGHT DYNAMIC N444PD

Summary

On 2 October 2007 at about 22:15 local time, a Degelia ROTOR FLIGHT DYNAMIC registered N444PD was involved in an accident near Ashland, Kentucky, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 October 2007 at 22:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Ashland, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Ashland Regional Airport (DWU)

Coordinates

38.5544, -82.7336

Aircraft

Degelia ROTOR FLIGHT DYNAMIC

Registration

N444PD

Category

Gyrocraft

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ashland → Ashland

Aircraft damage

Minor

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN08CA001

1 person was seriously injured.

the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing flare resulting in a hard landing. Contributing factors were the crosswind and the pilot's failure to recover from a bounced landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot he was conducting touch and go landings. During the landing flare the nose of the gyroplane drifted to the right. The pilot reported that he was not able to compensate for the winds. The gyroplane impacted the runway with the left landing gear followed by the right landing gear. The gyroplane bounced and impacted the runway again, coming to rest on its side, resulting in minor damage. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The pilot reported winds 90 degrees to the runway at 10 to 15 miles per hour. An examination of the gyroplane's structure and systems revealed minor damage and no anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.