Magni MAGNI M 16 N316MG

Summary

On 29 May 2020 at about 22:15 local time, a Magni MAGNI M 16 registered N316MG, operated by Paul Salmon Aircraft Services Llc, was involved in an accident near Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States. One person was on board and one 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

29 May 2020 at 22:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Cape Girardeau, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Cape Girardeau Rgnl (CGI)

Coordinates

37.2269, -89.5647

Aircraft

Magni MAGNI M 16

Registration

N316MG

Category

Gyrocraft

Year built

2006

Operator

Paul Salmon Aircraft Services Llc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Cape Girardeau → Cape Girardeau

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN20LA203

1 person had minor injuries.

The student pilot’s decision to take off with inadequate runway remaining, and his subsequent failure to attain proper airspeed, which resulted in the gyroplane’s descent into terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The student pilot was conducting touch-and-go takeoffs and landings in the gyroplane when the engine warning light illuminated while on the downwind leg. He dismissed the engine warning light for oil pressure when it extinguished while rolling down the runway and elected to takeoff again. He stated that he noticed a “weird smell” and that engine did not seem to be making power, so he landed again on the remaining runway; however, noting that the end of the runway was approaching, he then chose to take off again so that the gyroplane did not continue off the runway into the muddy grass. The pilot reported that, after takeoff, he “had no speed” and “fell behind the power curve,” and the gyroplane descended into the grass past the end of the runway. The wheels dug into the soft ground and the aircraft rolled onto its side, substantially damaging the rotor system, the airframe, and the tail assembly. The pilot’s flight instructor, who witnessed the accident and was the owner of the gyroplane, stated that the pilot remained on the runway too long before taking off. He stated that the gyroplane became airborne with about 100 to 200 ft of runway remaining and that its nose was “too high” before it settled back to the ground past the end of the runway. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the gyroplane. The engine was examined, and no anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation. The accident is consistent with the student pilot’s decision to take off with inadequate runway remaining, and his subsequent failure to attain proper airspeed, which resulted in the gyroplane’s descent into terrain.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.