Air Accidents Investigation Branch
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A solo student pilot was on a local general handling flight when the rotor head of the gyroplane he was flying, separated from the fuselage in flight. The separation was caused by a structural overload failure from exposure to dynamic flight loads, judged to be due to a specific sequence of aircraft manoeuvres.
The gyroplane was found to have been correctly released to service. There were no maintenance issues identified relevant to the accident. A number of operational factors were considered and it was likely that the pilot inadvertently allowed the aircraft to enter a low g flight regime close to, or potentially exceeding, that prohibited by the Cavalon Pilots Operating Handbook.
The accident highlighted limitations in the design, testing, manufacture and operating limits for the Cavalon and Cavalon Pro gyroplane types. Based on an assessment of the requirements within BCAR Section T, these limitations could be relevant to other gyroplane types certified to this standard. The investigation also highlighted issues with gyroplane training material regarding the awareness of rotor load factor by pilots. Four Safety Recommendations have been made to address these issues.