Rotary Air Force Marketing RAF 2000 N5077F

Summary

On 23 February 2007 at about 18:11 local time, a Rotary Air Force Marketing RAF 2000 registered N5077F was involved in an accident near Neenah, Wisconsin, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

23 February 2007 at 18:11

Classification

Accident

Location

Neenah, Wisconsin, United States

Nearest airport

Brennand (79C)

Coordinates

44.1600, -88.5594

Aircraft

Rotary Air Force Marketing RAF 2000

Registration

N5077F

Category

Gyrocraft

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Neenah → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI07CA081

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion. Contributing factors were a bent rudder trim tab, the narrow runway, and the uneven terrain at the edge of the runway pavement.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The gyroplane was substantially damaged when it rolled onto its right side during landing. The pilot reported that he had recently purchased the gyroplane, and while transporting it to his home airport, a trailer tie-down strap had broken and bent the rudder trim tab. The tab was bent back to approximately its original position. The pilot reported that during the initial flight, right rudder was needed to keep the gyroplane straight. When he returned to the airport the gyroplane touched down on the main wheels. It did not come to a full stop before the nose wheel touched down and the gyroplane "jerked hard right." He noted he "forgot to take out the right rudder." His attempts to keep the gyroplane on the runway were unsuccessful, and the right main wheel dropped off the runway pavement. The gyroplane subsequently rolled onto its right side, damaging the main rotor mast and control linkage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.