Autogyro MTOSPORT N250TX

Summary

On 16 January 2014 at about 17:40 local time, a Autogyro MTOSPORT registered N250TX, operated by City of Tomball, was involved in an accident near Spring, Texas, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

16 January 2014 at 17:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Spring, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

David Wayne Hooks Memorial (DWH)

Coordinates

30.0619, -95.5528

Aircraft

Autogyro MTOSPORT

Registration

N250TX

Category

Gyrocraft

Year built

2010

Engines

1

Operator

City of Tomball

Operating rule

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Spring → Spring

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14TA116

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot’s failure to maintain the gyroplane’s rotor control during the landing roll in gusting crosswind conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot stated that, as he approached the runway, the tower controller reported that the wind was 210 degrees at 11 knots, gusting to 19 knots. He performed a go-around due to the wind gusts blowing the gyroplane off course. He was then cleared to land on the parallel runway. The pilot reported that a quartering crosswind existed as he flew the approach; however, he landed the gyroplane without incident. As the pilot was reaching forward to change the pneumatic mode selector button from the "flight" to the "brake" position, a strong westerly wind gust lifted the gyroplane. The right wheel came off the ground, which caused the main rotor blade to strike the runway. The pilot attempted to straighten the gyroplane, but it veered off the runway and rolled onto its right side, which resulted in substantial damage to the empennage and main rotor. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the gyroplane that would have precluded normal operation. The calculated crosswind component of 10 knots was below the allowable maximum landing crosswind component of 20 knots. The gyroplane's flight manual states that, after landing, "use lateral control into wind to maintain rotor disc in level flight. Adjust lateral control input as rotor speed decays" before changing the pneumatic mode selector to the "brake" position.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.