Auto-Gyro CAVALON N518DT

Summary

On 19 December 2022 at about 09:30 local time, a Auto-Gyro CAVALON registered N518DT was involved in an accident near Benson, Arizona, 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

19 December 2022 at 09:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Benson, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Benson Municpal (E95)

Coordinates

31.9994, -110.3580

Aircraft

Auto-Gyro CAVALON

Registration

N518DT

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2016

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Benson → Benson

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR23LA085

1 person had minor injuries.

A loss of directional control on takeoff, which resulted in the collapse of the nose wheel strut and a runway excursion.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot of the gyroplane reported that, typically after reaching a speed of about 45-50 mph during the takeoff roll and just before takeoff, the nosewheel becomes light. He stated that for the accident flight the nose became light as expected, but then suddenly dropped, and the nose gear contacted the runway hard. The gyroplane veered left, and he depressed full right rudder. The main rotor impacted the runway, and the gyroplane departed the runway and came to rest on its side, sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage, tail boom, and rotor system. A postaccident examination of the flight controls revealed no anomalies. Further examination revealed the nose gear appeared to be bent aft and right and exhibited damage consistent with a hard impact. The runway surface exhibited witness marks consistent with a hard impact of the nose gear.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.