Fatal Crash of Gyroplane Immediately After Takeoff

[@boeing900]

My first flight lesson was on 11/7/79. Unfortunately, last year after flying for Continental/United for 34 years, I was forced to retire, thanks to the FAA's mandatory retirement age of 65. It was my dream job from the time I was three, so needless to say I miss it greatly. My final position was B777 Captain. I learned a lot about flying and flew many many different airplanes in all those years, but probably the most valuable lesson I learned was taught to me by my first flight instructor, before we ever even got into the 152. He asked me, "What are your thoughts about this statement? There are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old, bold pilots." I didn't know it at the time, but my thoughts determined if he was going to take me on as a student, or not. I was a Flight Instructor for five years, and I presented that statement to all my students on day one, from my first to my last. As I remember, there were three that I turned down, and this guy would have been one, I'm sure. There's a lot of pride associated with this profession, and rightfully so, but there is no room for the prideful. Humility is a must, especially as a Captain. I was an Airline Captain for 15 years and can honestly say I learned something from every FO I ever flew with, including the new hires just out of training. Humility allows you to see when your FO's perspective on a situation is better than yours, and allows you to alter your plan. But it's also what tells you when yours is the right course of action to take. His pridefulness and lack of humility caused this crash, it was predictable, not an "accident." I am proud to say, I never dented an airplane, I successfully performed three emergency landings, diverted to my weather alternate four times, was never called into my Chief Pilots office for a "talk," wrote up and turned in probably 15 or 20 ASAP reports and never had to explain anything to, or was ever violated by the FAA. And I'm very proud to be able to say, I'm an old pilot.

[@gnarthdarkanen7464]

Pride is for the night clubs and occasional gatherings where you strut into a crowd with that uniform from the shoulder-boards to the piping on the sleeves and show the wide grin and tell the "war stories" to the delight of crowds and your pick of girls to dance with or "whatever"... haha... There just isn't any room for it in the pilot's seat of an airplane... ;o)

[@bryantsmith1295]

This is a great retrospective I will pass along to my son, whose dream is to have a career like yours.

[@boeing900]

@Mike S Fool

[@boeing900]

@@gnarthdarkanen7464 That is not pride, that is immaturity

[@boeing900]

@@bryantsmith1295 Thank you sir, I appreciate it. And please, relay to your son to never give up, regardless of how improbable things may appear, or what ANYONE may say. I have never seen a bleaker time to be pursuing an airline career then when I took my first flight lesson, Jimmy Carter had decimated the military, and there were thousands of Air Force pilots that where now decommissioned and clambering to be hired by the airlines during the worst economic times I’ve ever witnessed. It may have taken me almost ten years but it came true. Funny thing was, even after I was hired some people told me I just got lucky. I just responded with the old, but very true cliché; The harder I tried the luckier I got. Please give him my best.

[@earnharvick]

When you read, "I'll just do it my way." and "That front seat is mine and mine alone.", that tells you all you need to know about the cause of this accident. Just because he had flew a side by side gyrocopter did NOT make him proficient in operating the tandem seat AR-1. In aviation, inexperience + arrogance = dead pilot. Don't end up like this guy.

[@motorv8N]

I do wonder - are doctors more apt to get into trouble flying GA...? Perhaps a gross generalization but being the smartest most capable guy in the (operating) room then transitioning to relative noob in the sky forced to learn from others is likely hard to stomach. He sounds like a particularly stubborn jackass whose fate was sealed well before the accident but I still feel bad for almost anyone having to watch the ground coming up fast and knowing it’s your last seconds alive. Belated RIP and condolences to loved ones.

[@CheaddakerT.Snodgrass]

@@motorv8N I don't think it mentions he's a medical doctor. The current president's wife is a Dr. Of education; supposedly. Not a Ph.D. its an Ed.D.

[@SocialistDistancing]

Interestingly, airline pilots are restricted from flying to types/versions of the same aircraft. Or two different types of aircraft. You probably already knew that. Here, we see why that is.

[@jimsteinway695]

@@CheaddakerT.Snodgrass one one the later comments said he was a medical dr. I’ve been around a lot of Drs. Some are brilliant others are risk takers who are great at memorization skills which is all you need to be an average or below average dr. I’ve seen guys like this in aviation and sports cars. I used to track a lot and this type of Dr would buy the most expensive fastest car then not develop the skill to drive it safely. That’s why we have models that are known to be Dr killers. Some average Drs are good at making money and gaming the system, and they’re the ones who get killed. I also know Drs who are brilliant developed new methods and procedures to help others-true scientists. But as an engineer I’ve seen some Drs that overestimate everything about their skill set. I don’t know it just attracts these kinds of people. There are also Drs who are good Drs and just plain family men. But medicine does attract those who like money and fast things

[@rmp5s]

Nailed it.

[@Mandy7D7]

The way he treated the man who came down to help him, abandoning him, walking to the hotel as the sun was setting and not even helping him to the airport shows a dangerous amount of arrogance. I'm just grateful he did not take out anyone else. RIP to him.

[@robinmyman]

There is no way he survived that impact.

[@CCW1911]

The instructor is lucky he didn't die flying with him.

[@crawford323]

@@CCW1911 Back in the day, I trained in a Parsons with a 0320 Lycoming without a horizontal stabilizer, pushing us around the sky. The instructor and owner of the machine had installed a stiff spring in the control stick in the front students cockpit so the instructor had the ability to overpower the students stick input if necessary to save both of their hides. Pretty smart.

[@dehavillandcanadadhc-6twin20]

@@robinmyman She's talking about the Silverlight employee who visited the pilot.

[@a914freak]

Yep Pilots who have the "its my way" of doing things even though its not necessarily the right way typically end up dead. Thankfully his arrogance only killed himself.

[@RainbowZenKitty]

There are two kinds of people in the world: Those who are humble, and those who are about to be. RIP and condolences to his family and friends.

[@josue_kay]

I doubt this individual has learnt humility despite his fate.

[@mrbmp09]

A nurse once told me most Doctors have a god complex. They know everything better than you.

[@wysoft]

Definitely sounds like something a nurse would say

[@fastcoffee9878]

@@wysoft you must be a doctor. ?

[@frankquagmire]

I agree with the nurse

[@hogi99]

The kindest thing I can say is that we can't be humble enough in life, there's always room for improvement. I don't think humility has ever killed anyone, while hubris has many victims.

[@bookoobeans]

Well said.

[@aproudamerican2692]

*Arrogance is a deadly disease.* It's reads to me that the good Dr had a deadly case of arrogance and over confidence. He was his own worse patient and it cost him his life. This was a tragedy that did not have to happen.

[@johnbasiglone1219]

Arrogant prick. Screw 'em. Treated the tech/mechanic/company pilot like he was a pissant stable boy. I have been around too many of these primadonnas in and around aviation and they think they are better than others because they can afford the more expensive toys. Especially the 'V-Tail Bonanza killers'.

[@crawford323]

You know the Beech A-35 is called the V-tailed Doctor Killer. It is a very high performance aircraft. Doctors and lawyers share a few traits. Many have the resources to buy high performance machines, flying or otherwise. They sometimes, because of the demands of their professions do not have the leisure time to maintain proficiency. They also believe they can reason or think their way out of a bad situation when they really need to fly the aircraft as they were taught without over thinking. Just do it!

[@57Jimmy]

After reading all the witness reports, this was bound to happen sooner THAN later. Probably no surprise to anyone involved with trying to assist him only to be chastised as an attack on his own ego. To everyone who tried to talk some sense to this pilot including his experienced son and probably his caring wife as well, I am so sorry for your loss, despite all the effort to help. And the pilot himself, sadly I expect it was everybody else’s fault from the takeoff run right down to the sudden stop at the end.

[@CCW1911]

Narcissist's don't make good pilots unfortunately.

[@silasmarner7586]

I know this type. I am not fond of them.

[@ArizoGecko]

Thank you for the in depth information and slowed footage. You're videos offer insight and awareness that saves lives. Just wanted to say THANK YOU.

[@WhatYouHaventSeen]

I hope so. The occasional “you just exploit death for clicks” accusation notwithstanding, the entire point of this channel is to help prevent the same or similar from happening to others. I am convinced that transparent and accessible disclosures of the facts advance that goal and increase safety. As a society, the worst thing that we can do when tragedy strikes is to limit the ability of others to learn from it. I am proud of the fact that my work is used by the United States Air Force, German Air Force, multiple ARFF training centers, and countless flight schools around the world. To the “making money off of tragedy” people: this channel operated at a loss for the majority of its existence. I wish it hadn’t, but it did.

[@russguffee6661]

@@WhatYouHaventSeen screw the haters. They're usually just miserable people that go looking to be offended. You're doing a public service by educating people on what not to do, Because we can't possibly live long enough to make all the mistakes ourselves, and you better be able to learn from other people's or you won't be around long enough to learn. Love your work, both channels. Thanks.

[@ScumfuckMcDoucheface]

@@russguffee6661 What's the other channel? Thanks in advance man.

[@anthonyantoine9232]

@@ScumfuckMcDoucheface Real World Police. I found this out on accident a while ago because of identical editing style lol

[@Jonathan.D]

@@WhatYouHaventSeen I have watched many of your videos and I must say that what you are doing is offering a valuable resource for all of us. This case is proof that if we get too comfortable and forget to leave our egos at home serious problems await us. These lessons can be applied to all aspects of life but are most valuable to those in the field of aviation where the stakes are higher. You have never shown anything for pure shock value! The many camera angles and slow-motion replays are important to back up the conclusion that is reached in the investigation. The pages of the official reports and witness statements are also proof that this is NOT for shock value. At times some of us are able to determine the cause of the accident at the beginning of the video but there are many people who can not. These videos are no different than the ones I saw during my safety training at the airport. I will say it again, these videos ARE a valuable resource for everyone who watches them. They will remain valuable until people stop having accidents. As for you making a profit, to that I say, No one works for free. Those people who make safety videos for the airport and other companies make a profit as well. Thank you for your hard work and dedication!

[@TheRotorhound]

As a helicopter pilot with about 10 hours of training in a gyrocopter I found the one I trained in was stable. This pilot was an experienced pilot with gyro experience but not much in this model. From the transcript he sounded over confident in his abilities. No matter what your professional skills, when transitioning to a new aircraft you must learn everything about it. This doctor paid the price for not accepting the fact that he was a novice in this aircraft. RIP.

[@johnschneider4160]

Keep all doctors away from T-tail Bonanzas and gyrocopters.😬👍

[@TheRotorhound]

@@johnschneider4160 Keep all people away from “V” tail Bonanzas. Only rich actors can afford to fly nowadays and of course our politicians doing it on our dime.

[@crazyralph6386]

Exactly. And as a rotorhead, you realize that each helicopter you eventually get endorsed on, have their little quirks and idiosyncrasies that you must recognize, adjust, and master ie Clockwise/counterclockwise rotation, right/left power pedal, steam gauge to EFIS, right pic seat to left, NOTAR, Fenestrom, T/R etc. Heck, even though the Hughes 500E is the same endorsement of a D model, I was a bit embarrassed to say that I found their flight characteristics completely different(the D being considerably lighter and faster), so I asked the company for an extra 1hr with a check pilot to go over all the emerg procedures, airwork, and ground school, and just treat it as a new bird on my ticket? No helicopter company in my experience, would EVER say no to that, nor should any pilot feel ashamed to ask? It is a shame however, that this chap had an expert fly all that way, only to refuse valuable instruction. Caution over error is my motto!

[@viperdriver82]

It couldn't have hit in a worse spot than that 🤦🏽‍♂️

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

Agree, no place worse to hit than the ground.

[@terrallputnam7979]

Except for a crowded area with people standing or sitting around.

[@viperdriver82]

@@terrallputnam7979 Yes true ..but I meant for the survivability of the pilot

[@josue_kay]

From that height, any spot is fatal.

[@msmeyersmd8]

From the pictures, video and description it appears he hit the dirt first. Pulled some fence and the debris "traveled" or "bounced" forward maybe 5-10 feet or so into the cement ditch. The videos show a distinct fairly symmetrical cloud of dust upon impact. Fortunately he didn't crash onto the highway. The ditch looks like it prevented any major debris from actually going onto the highway lanes.

[@brokendown63]

Would appear he didn't know what he thought he knew and his 'my way or the highway" attitude killed him.

[@kittytrail]

nothing of importance was lost except a fine aircraft. good thing he didn't kill anybody else.😑

[@alanduncan3710]

Looks like it was the highway that did him in...

[@captrlp13]

This is a great lesson on Human Factors, pilot attitudes and overall, ADM. Between the “Deadly Dozen” and the seven most dangerous attitudes, this pilot checked a majority of them. If it’s predictable, it’s preventable.

[@dont6441]

So the owner declined the recommended additional training. Bad idea.

[@lohphat]

Darwin is a cruel mistress.

[@TheOwenMajor]

Never get in an aircraft flown by a doctor.

[@pkeelan56]

@@TheOwenMajor never!

[@josue_kay]

@@TheOwenMajor I wouldn't even see this doctor for medical reason let alone be his passenger in an aircraft.

[@tomcat11513]

Looks like the good doctor's ego / arrogance preceded him, all the way to the crash site, sad.

[@kh40yr]

Witnessed and ran to help a Gyro crash at the local airport, in the 80's. There was noo way that very early eggbeater was going to fly as we watched him charge down the runway, trying to get airborne with "bunny hops". One last bunny hop sunk him,, he stalled about 20' up and just managed to pull level before impact on the grass landing strip next to the runway. Dad and I hopped in the Ford and blasted down the taxiway/runway, fully expecting to be met with a gruesome picture. This guy walked away with just a light cat scratch down one arm.

[@chadwickalexanderjr1758]

Tragic, but I think we can all learn from this incident. Thank you for the work you do in sharing this content.

[@michaelzimmerman9194]

We can all learn, but the ones who need to heed this lesson are only listening to themselves and will never learn from others.

[@recoilrob324]

Notice that the minimum pilot weight for the front seat was listed at 144 lbs....where the good Dr weighed 143...so technically out of W/B and at best right at the limits which would make the handling different than when he was flying with the rear seat occupied. The warning at 9:00 says 'Maximum power at minimum takeoff weight can cause an abrupt climb rate in standard conditions that, if not corrected, may cause climb angles of greater than the placarded maximum specially with the 915/S engine". The factory mechanic observed the Dr using too much throttle and warned him several times about it during their time together in the aircraft. Looks like this habit bit him in the ass and combined with attitude exceeding ability and we've seen the sad result.

[@motorv8N]

Excellent observations

[@nevadaracer00V]

143 stark naked on a scale at 6am...fully loaded with food and clothes 150 easy...

[@bhc1892]

@@nevadaracer00V His point still stands. It's a big transition from fully loaded to right at mins. Even small airplanes fly wildly differently single pilot, low fuel. Sounds like gyros are a lot worse.

[@mysock351C]

@@nevadaracer00V I suspect the weight imbalance was only an incidental issue. The real problem is the fact that the drag from the rotor and the thrust from the prop are not in line. This generates an upward pitching moment in the aircraft. While I am not a pilot, what I can say is that with a powerful engine, applying excess power on top of more power than you already need will make the thing want to do more than just pitch up once the proverbial excrement hits the air circulator. Once it starts to roll over it will make the whole aircraft want to revolve around the rotor in unusual ways since they are what it is trying to overcome, and if the pilot panics and applies even _more_ power to avoid crashing it generates a vicious a feedback loop, which is basically what we see in the video.

[@cameronlapworth2284]

@@bhc1892 gyros actually have a fairly wide range if side by side as you are almost directly under the head. Tandems may not be so forgiving not sure. You can fly a side by side one or two up with just a little back stick or neutral dual. He's unloaded the rotor here it's a matter of why...

[@ricvis44]

If I was being instructed to fly a Gyrocopter I believe I would be like a sponge and soak in all the knowledge the instructor gave me. And I would be very grateful for his time!

[@cameronlapworth2284]

You'd be surprised how many people are not like you.

[@a914freak]

That looked like a push over to me, not sure who was yelling he has full right rudder, if you look closely that was a torque roll.

[@cameronlapworth2284]

Yep marks under the rotor and all 4 prop blades sheered without any dirt in them. Over control most likely.

[@davidclark3304]

One of the hazardous pilot attitudes defined by the FAA is "anti-authoritarian."

[@kittytrail]

lots of cnuts who cannot accept as valid others experiences. especially of the medical or MBA persuasion... 🙄

[@kingofcastlechaos]

Condolences to the family, but I have had several run-ins with flying doctors and they are challenging people to have a discussion with. Thanks for sharing the video.

[@sooz9433]

Over confidence and inability to take on constructive criticism can be deadly for some people... sounds like this man was "some people"

[@justadudeffs]

I'm positive that's the first time I've seen the words "super anal" in any sort of accident report documents

[@joeshmoe7967]

too true! LOL...might have seen it referenced elsewhere....LOL

[@gadsdenconsulting7126]

Those things look like a death trap to begin with. 💀

[@normadesmond9659]

76 years old. Not saying that's a factor, but sounds like he wasn't one to be told what to do.

[@aircraftadventures-vids]

I don't know or pretend to know the stats but my wild ass guess is 75% or more of generation aviation / recreation pilots are over 70. Time, expendable income, retirement, etc.

[@bhc1892]

​@@aircraftadventures-vids Definitely not. But in NTSB reports, that sounds about right.

[@SuperJoeycooper]

Transition training is a must, especially for fixed-wing pilots transitioning to gyros. Actions that will save you in a plane will kill you in a gyro.

[@Jonathan.D]

This is so true. Our neighbor was a commercial pilot and had a private aircraft as well. He bought an ultralight to fly from his private strip. His first flight in the ultralight was his last. It was determined that it was pilot error. He had bought it used from a private owner and never had any kind of training. I remember my dad talking to him when he brought it home. He told my dad that it was basically the same as flying his other aircraft and that it wouldn't be a problem. One neighbor said he crashed because he was drunk but that wasn't the case. However, it probably didn't help. He took off, tried to climb too quickly, stalled, and we watched him fall out of the sky. I think I was 5 or 6 at the time.

[@dabneyoffermein595]

what's the difference between gyro and helicopter?

[@christopherreed4723]

@@dabneyoffermein595 A helicopter's rotor is powered directly by the engine. The rotation provides lift, and inclining the rotor disk forward, backwards, or to the side imparts motion on the aircraft. The "tail rotor" is also powered, usually by a shaft coming off the main rotor transmission, and is there to control torque. A Gyrocraft (or "Autogyro" as they were known back in the '30s) has no direct power to the rotor. It's free-rotating. The motor powers a propeller that imparts forward motion to the aircraft. As the aircraft moves forward, aerodynamic forces cause the rotor to turn, which creates lift. Torque and flight attitude is controlled by control surfaces as in a fixed-wing aircraft. The big thing to remember is that a helicopter can hover, because it has a motor turning it's rotor. A gyrocraft *cannot* hover, because it *must* be moving forward for the rotor to turn. Hope I got that right 😋

[@dabneyoffermein595]

@@christopherreed4723 thanks so much, so the rotor is not driven by anything shaft related, its just on ball-bearings and uses ONLY forward travel to spin, and if so , I'm blown away by that.

[@christopherreed4723]

@@dabneyoffermein595 It does sound shaky as hell, but aerodynamically it's apparently solid.

[@Thecruisingrancher]

As an old instructor told me 40 years ago, aviation is unforgiving when you exceed your and the aircraft’s capabilities. At that point, you are along for the ride. Hence, my youtube title. It has guided me all these years.

[@channelsixtysix066]

And it rings true every time.

[@cameronlapworth2284]

Absolutely you read some of these comments "I wouldn't fly one of those..." any aircraft type that has people who've been flying safely for decades and these have been flying since 1923! Must fundermentally work. You just have to know how. The smaller machines have also been flown safely for decades by many but you have to follow the principles related to this type of flying. Just because you can build one doesn't mean you can fly one. Just because you can fly one type doesn't mean you can fly another. The 915 is what 140hp? That's a heap! His previous experience might have been is a 912s 100hp. Chalk and cheese.

[@channelsixtysix066]

@@cameronlapworth2284 Unless there is structural failure, I always read that gyroplanes were inherently safer to fly than fixed wing aircraft. But like all aircraft, it has a flight envelope. For some reason the pilot didn't fly within it.

[@cameronlapworth2284]

@@channelsixtysix066 there's a seemingly paradox with gyros. Their stick free stability is pretty much better than anything. That is leave them fly themselves and they are amazingly stable. My instructor once did a demo for a bloke who'd been trained not to use rudder outside of take off and landing. He took it off and took his hands off the stick and flew a whole circuit including landing using power and rudder. Now his machine was well trimmed had proper 3 degrees downthrust etc. The see saw teetering rotors compensate for differences in lift from the advancing and retreating blades. Consider you are doing 50mph and your rotors tip speed is 350mph. Your blade going forward (advancing) would be doing 350+50 and the retreating moving will be doing 350-50 so 300 twice the forward speed. But the blade with more lift will rise washing off angle of attack and the retreating will teeter down increasing its angle of attack equalling the lift. Now consider you fly the machine into a thermal on say one side in a fixed wing that wing lifts righ? It will on a gyro too but in doing so rising across the teeter it automatically drives the opposite rotor and equals the lift. Difference is therefore zero. The lift amounts to lift across the while disk so the machine will rise but you won't feel it in the airframe other than a slight change in geometry between the disks total lift, amount of downthrust and the cg. Result is even a massive thermal will dip my nose maybe 2cm and when it does (remember this is not the rotor moving its the airframe reacring to difference in lift) so if I leave the stick alone it will actually move in the correcting direction. It's bizarre having flown in ultralights were the merest wife of turbulence sees you actively flying and hitting a thermal so big my 35mph cruise get hit with a thermal so big my hall gauge was topped off at over 80mph and I'm now idling and still climbing at well over 1500ft/min and all the airframe does is dip 2cm and carry on violently climbing but flat. However and this is what you don't hear from promoters of gyros advertising the true benefits of their excellent stick free stability. They have close to neutral stick fixed stability unlike fixed wings. A HS on a fixed wing actually resists pilot input. Gyros rotor system actually twist the rotor into new angle of attack. If you get a ruler and hold it it the middle of forefinger and thumb your finger and thumb are the teeter block let's say the blades are fore aft you tilt your hand forward the rotor will stay in place (because the real one has bushings there) but as you rotate around with that angle the blades twist with the retreating having a higher angle and the advancing a lower so they literally fly into a new plane of rotation. It's a little twist and the rotors are now moving the whole disk which pulls the airframe with it. The only thing resisting this is the blades chordwise balance and zero moment aerofoil. This is why wooden blades are far more stable the chord weight resists the change of angle so it's a smoother transition. This also means inputs don't have to be very big and they will build until you correct unlike a fixed wing in which the aircraft is actively fighting you. So they way you can think about this is pitts special lightness of touch and requirement to correct any dramatic movement you make but leave the stick alone and is the most rock solid thing you could fly. I often flew in conditions that had all the fixed wings at my airstrip grounded. I have literally taken off vertically across the narrow grass runway and landed after hovering over the middle and just easing off power. But you fly with gentle pressure. Now they aren't a death trap if you are trained you can toss the about in complete safety if you have the correct training and you know the aircraft. That he was aggressive on the stick iand throttle ndicates he was either poorly trained originally or he was in some form of cognitive decline or both. That's a very long way of explaining that yes the are more stable than fixed wings by far but they are also as responsive as the lightest planes and are stick fixed neutral so aggressive flying requires understanding the machine. I used to instruct in gyrogliders (towed behind cars) a primary trainer. I'd do a demo before I'd let them have control. I'd tell them the watch my hand on the stick and I'd call the turns left right left etc. They could never see my hand move and the turns would get progressively more dramatic. Now it was a bit of a cheat as I was towed behind a car and the gyro didn't want to stay say left so as I eased out slowly on the first turn I'd ease pressure and it would want to come back it would build speed and I encouraged it with gentle pressure in the direction we qe already heading so it would go too far out the other side so I was using timing of pressure to build energy I to what I was doing but I did it all with movement too small to see. That tended to impress on them not to over control. But they usually did anyway until they got the feel. Once you can feel the stick it talks to you and you can be more aggressive if you want to but you never have to move it much. They are very easy to fly once you have that knack but you have to fly by pressure. Sounds hard but isn't but it's a trap if either not trained, trained to fly by the numbers or aggressive with less feel than balls. Easy to fly but stability wise the exact opposite of a fixed wing. Nothing better I'm rough and bumpy conditions far far more stable than a chopper which are both stick fixed and stick free unstable. You need to fly them like a gyro. You do this won't happen. To me what was being described was the equivalent of getting in your first Ferrari gunning the gas taking it up to 209moh and then jamming the wheel full right and being surprised you ended up wrapped around a tree.

[@channelsixtysix066]

@@cameronlapworth2284 Thank you so much for your reply, Cameron. I've copied and saved it as a document for further reference. I'd like to see a modern development of the Rotodyne in the 21st. C. It was decades ahead of its time and now the technology has caught up. Its time has arrived. Terrible decision of the UK government to have everything to do with it, destroyed. Cold War paranoia played its part. Again, thank you so much for your reply, it was a very interesting read and something I can go back to for an expert account. Cheers.

[@Byzmax]

These are fascinating insights into human behaviour. It's really interesting to read the fine detail and appreciate the effort you put in to getting this information out there.

[@someguy5035]

His described attitude puts him squarely into the "bold pilot" category.

[@russguffee6661]

This is the one channel that I'm subscribed to that i NEVER get a notification. They're turned on and I've checked, and unsubbed and subbed again, and it still will not give me notifications. Stupid KZbin

[@alasdair4161]

If they could make money from it, you'd get notified...

[@OcotilloTom]

Sounds like my heart doctor. The smartest guy in the room about everything.

[@av8tore71]

Dr Dal Canto was an awesome doctor. He performed my TLIF or Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion (TLIF) Back Surgery in 2019 and we talked about aviation because I had all my flight ratings plus my A&P IA. Damn this really hurts especially when you personally know the person

[@ddegn]

Thanks for sharing your story about the doctor.

[@pkeelan56]

As a physician who is not a surgeon, it doesn’t surprise me of his attitude. We have a saying in medicine, doctors should stay out of aviation. We had a surgeon from our state die from a horrible plane crash and took his step son and the son’s wife (who was a physician also) with him. Risky and cocky behavior! Very tragic!

[@hogi99]

I'm confused, the reports refer to a Dr. Mauro, Who's Dr. Canto?

[@carsten4594]

@@hogi99 Mr. Dal Canto was Dr. Mauro's son. 🙂

[@av8tore71]

@@pkeelan56 I'm an attorney and have been in aviation all my life and as a kid fueling aircraft at 16 I have found that Doctors really like Beech Bananza's especially the V-tailed Bananza or Forked Tail Doctor killers because of all the accidents I have read or heard about were doctors in their Bananza's doing IFR approaches in total IMC weather because they think they are invincible.

[@gregmoyer8959]

I wish the scroll was a little slower and I do think it takes me longer to comprehend what I’m reading, I like to understand what I’m reading.

[@av8or971]

He identified a potential issue on rotation, but kept going.

[@Jonathan.D]

Was it a clear view of himself? Because he was the problem. I don't mean to keep harping on that but how many times do we have to see people let their egos get them into trouble before people wake up?

[@av8or971]

@@Jonathan.D not sure. But from the video, to me it looks like he thought he was too slow... nosed down.. then continued to lift off. And then the voice says he had full rudder.. so no idea what the pilot was thinking. Just observing that as a pilot, if you identify something isnt right.. cut throttle, apply brakes and abort. I havr aborted a few times due to birds over flying on take off roll and i aborted and taxiid back.

[@Jonathan.D]

@@av8or971 In his report the Technician helping him stated that this gyro would tend to lift the nose before reaching takeoff speed. So it was recommended way to hold the nose down at the right level until takeoff speed was reached. It was noted that the Dr was not proficient at performing the recommended technique and preferred to do it his way. He wanted to just jam the throttle and pull back when he reached up to speed. With the more powerful motor on this gyro, he ran the risk of outrunning the rotor doing that. He needed to leave his ego at home, take the advice of the instructor, and get more practice time in the aircraft. He was a victim of his own hubris. This can happen to anyone if we don't take the time to think about the repercussions. The report is worth reading for anyone flying aircraft or not.

[@av8or971]

@@Jonathan.D Good information to know. thanks for sharing.

[@ljre3397]

This was self inflicted. Too bad the consequences are so severe.

[@Zerbey]

His arrogance was his undoing, a sobering lesson for us all.

[@jayb9687]

You either have the instinct to be a pilot or you don't and he definitely didn't.

[@dryan8377]

The doctor knew better than everyone else. That's how it goes with dead doctor pilots. RIP.

[@joeshmoe7967]

"with dead doctor pilots" and there seems to be a lot of them.....

[@rogerbivins9144]

I'm no gyro pilot, but those things would seem to have all of the negative flight characteristics of airplanes and helicopters combined with none of the full benefits of either. You'd probably have to be an ace pilot to survive an accidental unloading too.

[@cameronlapworth2284]

You are right about one thing you won't survive unloading them. Other aircraft you won't survive unloading them helicopters and powered hang gliders. You just don't do neg g. Not hard to avoid you just need proper training. On all the rest you are just wrong. Gyros have excellent stick free stability making them much safer to fly in violent weather than helicopters and fixed wings. They cannot stall or spin at low speeds you can descend vertically at the speed of a parachute unlike a fixed wing. I knew a guy landed one in an 80ft strangler fig tree and climbed down an idiot yes but alive. Had he been in a fixed wing he'd have hit those trees at 40mph and plummeted to his death. So gyros are stick free significantly better than ANY fixed wing but they are pretty close to neutral in terms of stick fixed stability and have very light stick feel one up or in a single seater like a chopper. So leave the stick alone fly with sympathy more like riding a bike than driving a car and they are lovely. Fly like a moron and it'll kill you real quick.

[@nzsaltflatsracer8054]

I am a gyro pilot & this guy didn't have a humble bone in his broken body, with a my way or the highway attitude he found highway 189. I have an ex navy pilot I've flown with once, that cured me!

[@MYOB990]

I'm glad I got over my desire to build and fly a plane.

[@alasdair4161]

KZbin has helped me get over that one too..

[@motorv8N]

@@alasdair4161 yup - as well as owning a motorcycle.....

[@saito125]

Are you comparing a gyrocopter to a plane?? Seriously??

[@57Jimmy]

Popular Mechanics magazines ignited the dreams of many of us! Lol

[@cameronlapworth2284]

@@saito125 yeah gyros are much better.

[@Nebula_Ultra]

Dont kick the guy too much. Hes paid up plus some. RIP

[@harrymills2770]

Less than a newb, here, but Blanchard's take was my take. The angle of ascent seemed very steep. Could the abrupt right bank be due to torque in a stall? Asking for a friend, who still doesn't even know what "rotor flapping" means. A very close friend. I greet him in the mirror every morning. I think having a twin-engine fixed-wing fooled him into thinking getting a stronger motor in his gyro would let him do the maneuvers he didn't get to do in his previous machine. I kind of like the idea of a gyroplane. Nice and stable. Get you from point A to point B, with the real advantage of auto-rotation in case of engine failure. But this guy wanted more, and the gyro plane wasn't built for it. Just remember: The people who brag about how good they are as drivers/pilots are always the ones who take way too many risks. "I can follow this close, because I have fantastic reflexes."

[@heeder777]

Attitudes like his are why Bonanza’s have their nickname.

[@meatthenole5601]

I feel for his family. Truly. But dang man, there are old pilots and there are bold pilots, but there are no old bold pilots. Aviation is not inherently dangerous, but it is inherently unforgiving.

[@kirklarson116]

As an instrument and commercial pilot, I can't understand why people want to fly this stuff. I'm not bashing it, I just don't understand it. I love flying and I know it has come with risks over my last 25 years and I accepted that. We can make just about anything fly but it doesn't mean we should just jump on and go. I'm sad for this gentleman and his loved ones.

[@TheDornado]

Flying low and slow is a completely different experience, but for me it feels more like natural flying (i.e. like a bird) than being up higher in a different style of aircraft. Being out in the wind in an ultralight is, to me, about the most fun you can have flying.

[@bernieschiff5919]

@@TheDornado A limitation of ultralights might be the high drag airframes, and the short glide distance without power.

[@crawford323]

I would like to see an attitude indicator on at least the enclosed models.

[@mrbmp09]

A gyro would be my LAST choice of flying machine. He should have got a kitfox or similar.

[@cameronlapworth2284]

There is nothing wrong with flying this stuff you just have to do it safely. Trouble with aircraft like gyros and I'm a gyropilot is you look at the thing and it looks crazy. It isn't if flown within its flight envelope it's safe very safe can't stall or spin a low speeds, lands from zero ground roll to a few feet. But like helicopters you can't do negative g or you die. Not hard to avoid but guys that are overly aggressive on the controls can and do come to grief. Just have to fly them as they are designed to be flown. How many pilots die in fixed wing due to stall spin? Do you think they are mad to fly fixed wings or just regret they didn't have proper training or discipline to fly above stall speed. No different with gyros but we do attract more cowboys.

[@1mmickk]

Even a brick flies for a short time if you throw it hard enough.Oh I get it now, arrogant pilot suffering Doctor Syndrome with zero time in a/c, flies experimental a/c with almost zero hours, into the ground and kills himself. What is surprising here? nothing.

[@schnertzrush417]

Highly qualified, and rated on many types. Lots of experience. What goes along with a Type A personality is arrogance. Successful people tend be more so. Arrogance and overconfidence brings us here. His dis-regard for following the Aircraft's parameters of flight and the disruptive personal behavior with those around him, mind you that they were helping him, is paramount to the type of pilot he became. From, "I'm qualified", "I'm Capable" , to "I'm Independent", "it's Mine", "I'm Overconfident", "I'm Complacent", "I'm Dead". The Equipment was correctly functioning (sans the recorder), the instruction was available; this was failure in personality. We can all look and learn from this. This may be the one lesson he contributes to the rest of us to save lives. Bless his family as they grieve.

[@jonkaminsky8382]

I’m a commercial driver who’s always been interested in civil aviation. I’ve studied ground school and flown thousands of hours on a simulator over the years. Driving a tractor and trailer weighing up to 80,000 pounds isn’t a job for someone who lacks finesse and patience, nor is flying an aircraft. The two vehicles (commercial truck and civil aircraft) each require calculated input and a person behind the controls with an intimate understanding of energy management. Bold and impatient will get you and possibly others killed. The deceased doctor was doomed to have an accident from day one. I witness other drivers in my profession who exhibit the same impatience, short temper, and reckless operation the Doctor in Heber displayed and there’s no question - they are going to have a major accident someday soon. Please keep your eyes on those big trucks when you’re traveling. Keep your distance especially if you see them swerving in the lane while driving distracted due to eating or cell phone use. Never let them tailgate you to an intersection, and never linger on the right side while the truck is in the center lane. Doing these things could save your life by avoiding a reckless and bold truck driver.

[@carlospulpo4205]

Its this type of deadly arrogance and stubbornness that Cockpit Resource Management (CRM) was made for. The mentality of "this is mine" (even if you own it) and "my way rules" must go out the cockpit window forever.

[@michaelkaliski7651]

Apart from all the obvious issues, the difference in flying characteristics between flying with and without a passenger seems to have been ignored. Assuming the pilot was clothed, the weight and balance would have been okay, clothes add a few pounds. The performance difference with just one person and an apparent lack of proper flight instruments to refer to are major contributory factors here when considered along with lack of pilot skills and general attitude.

[@lisaadams6753]

Amaaazing channel. All the technical follow up and investigation is astonishing. Without being disrespectful, I think this was one of those accidents caused by the arrogance of the pilot.

[@TS-mq1fj]

Dr. Mauro obviously had a ego and confidence larger than his aptitude.

[@OifelOifel]

Pride - one of the greatest enemies in aviation. If I transition into a new kind of flying or a new type of aircraft I am a rookie again period. Learn from people mire experienced than you, be thankful and take their advice. It does not matter how long you fly. The learning never stops. Nobody is perfect.

[@thurin84]

i wonder if his pride hit the ground before he did.

[@kittytrail]

😏👌

[@sandymichaud6849]

Nah, that big of an airbag would have bounced him to the moon 🤣

[@rtmdlawncare5774]

Aviation is unforgiving. Training is an absolute necessity. This guy was a fixed wing pilot transitioning to gyro - extensive training was needed for sure. Sad he didn’t extend training.

[@mikehanratty4300]

Your information is not accurate. He was already an experienced gyro pilot, just not in that model/configuration.

[@rtmdlawncare5774]

@@mikehanratty4300 Well if he had experience - Transitioning into different models, especially one you just got, should be a well thought out and planned process. Seems he was doing things like a maverick. Cost him dearly.

[@Jonathan.D]

@@rtmdlawncare5774 He thought his previous experience in the other two gyros was all he needed. The trainer tried to point out to him that this gyro had different characteristics than the previous one did but he didn't want to listen.

[@Mike-01234]

He was Gyro rated he owned a previous gryo it said that was side by side configuration this one was a tandom.

[@rtmdlawncare5774]

@@Jonathan.D Clearly he was the worst type of student.

[@channelsixtysix066]

It pitched up exactly as stated with minimum weight. The pilot was just below minumum weight at 143 pounds at time of death: _Minimum pilot weight is 144 pounds (65 Kg) in the front seat. Maximum power at minimum takeoff weight can cause an abrupt climb rate in standard conditions that, if not corrected, may cause climb angles of greater than the placarded maximum_ The owner was warned repeatedly by the experienced pilot not to apply aggressive throttle. I guess you can't help people who don't want to be helped. Needless loss of life.

[@jimwednt1229]

Yeah the picture of that machine is listed next to " Sketchy " in the dictionary.

[@johnschneider4160]

Quick!!! Someone call Dan Gryder!!!😬

[@DeathBlossom867]

What's the probable cause?!?

[@captaindunsel2806]

@@DeathBlossom867 He'll probably say it was attempted murder. Maybe some connection to Hugo Chavez or D.B. Cooper.

[@crooked-halo]

@@DeathBlossom867 This one is easy, even from a fixed-wing pilot perspective. It's very obvious in this video, too. If you read it.

[@masaharumorimoto4761]

At least there's cameras everywhere now!! I member my mom freaking out in 2004 that the neighbors had security cams hahahaha "It's looking right at our house!" oh man that seems so dated now!!!!!! Ring cams everywhere!

[@ne14lov22002]

Yep, spying on everyone, from everywhere....Hmmm Move to China if that what you love people watching ..

[@57Jimmy]

So that’s why my wife has been trying to lose her wedding ‘ring’! To think all this time she was wanting to ditch me!🤣

[@timjchick]

The sport of flying is as safe as you make it or as dangerous as you make it. It’s unfortunate when a pilot’s ego creates a dangerous situation.

[@BB..........]

He sure showed them how to fly it!

[@johnmarksmith1120]

“He did it his way.”

[@ecleveland1]

Cause of accident, Pilot's EGO.

[@paulcooper8818]

This happens when you always "know better".

[@time.5316]

Well, now they'll probably blame gyros for being "doctor killers" instead of Beechcraft Bonanzas.

[@carbonking53]

No way I would strap myself into one of those egg beaters!!

[@justinhaase8825]

My brother is a flight nurse who just trusts his pilots are responsible for his life… But there are any number of bonanza and Mooney crashes where people like DRs had all the money but didn’t respect getting down to the base level to learn about a craft. I’ve flown in a gryocopter and a quad PPC and I’d trust a grown from nothing pilot much more than a money talks pilot.

[@joeshmoe7967]

100%. Cash for the slick ride, but not for ongoing training. Their arrogance writes cheques their low skills can't cash.

[@cornondajakob]

It's a shame that these things happen, but as long as there are aircraft in the sky, there will be accidents.

[@OffendingTheOffendable]

A bathtub with cardboard wings is safer

[@SoCal_Subdivison]

It’s sad to see the pilot in the video and next thing you know he’s gone

[@Veteran_Aviator]

My neighbor flys this same machine. He won’t fly it with the canopy on because he says if has little to no rudder control.

[@tungstenkid2271]

Are they harder to fly than fixed-wing microlights?

[@drn13355]

That looked life a death flight before it even left the ground.

[@cameronlapworth2284]

Absolutely you've nailed it. Most accidents like this happen long before the final act. He was dealing with overcontrolling he'd done on that take off. It caught him 500ft but the sequence started on takeoff.

[@grus2011]

1. His arrogance got the best of him. 2. There are old pilots, but no bold pilots. 3. Just because you can afford it doesn’t mean you can fly it. 😬

[@bw162]

A lot missing I would like to have known. He was an experienced pilot. If he had gotten BFRs in his previous aircraft, what were the comments of those CFIs? Who gave him his MEL or CFI? Any prior accidents or reported incidents. I think there is more to this then just arrogance. It would be a dramatic blow to me if I had to “move down” to a gyrocopter based on what he had been flying assuming it was not his burning desire to do. No excuse, but I also have some empathy unless this was his behavior all the time in other areas of his life. Sounded like a very successful, active man who loved flying. There was no excuse for the way he treated others trying to help him….. but aging is not easy under the best of circumstances especially when you have some self awareness of your limitations that others are reminding you of.. Very tough for his family I am sure.

[@cameronlapworth2284]

The reports of his over controlling are more than enough to explain the accident. However if there was some neurological reason behind this? He needed the brake modified, why? If he didn't have proper fine motor skill he may have lacked the delicate feel needed to fly a gyro. You fly with stick pressure rather than movement.

[@bw162]

@@cameronlapworth2284 The report states that he had “mangled” a finger and knuckle on one hand in a skiing accident. It was described as a mechanical inability. No indication of a “motor skill” issue.

[@cameronlapworth2284]

@@bw162 ah I missed that. Just poor piloting technique.

[@sandymichaud6849]

@@cameronlapworth2284 an injury to his hand, precluded him from the STRENGTH neccesary to hold the wheel brakes. That he still competes in skiing, speaks to a competitive nature not accepting of critiicism let alone the authority nature of his profession.

[@bw162]

@@sandymichaud6849 All possible criticisms. You left one out…pilots are also known as control freaks and ego centric. Does that describe you? Being competitive is an attribute. Being a doc doesn’t necessarily mean HE had the generalized personality anymore than any one individual pilot is ego driven. Rather than these generalizations being applied to a successful doc and pilot, all I would like to have heard is other evidence than just his behavior as described in this reported accident. He has a history that preceded this accident. I would like to have known more of it before applying damning generalizations.

[@chuckfrumunda1835]

I'm glad to hear he made it alive...long recovery tho....God speed 🙏

[@othername1000]

Dead. When they're testing blood out of his thoracic cavity/heart, and examining brain matter, he didn't make it.

[@othername1000]

Specimens bile, blood (cavity), blood (femoral), blood (subclavian), brain, gastric, heart, kidney, liver, lung, muscle, spinal fluid, spleen, urine.

[@joeshmoe7967]

I think the Dr's problem was he stayed at a Holiday Inn Express, maybe 1 too many times....he bought a tshirt at the gift shop "i got this..."

[@christopherrasmussen8718]

Grew up near a small airport. Guy had one. Ended the same way. I doubt it hurt much 😢

[@joshyaks]

10:46 tells you everything you need to know.

[@ronstowell8646]

So the experimental, amateur built followed by the builder pilot saying to the instructor "let me do it my way" and your SHOCKED at the result?

[@russguffee6661]

*you're, And I don't think anyone was shocked except our departed pilot. He departed controlled flight and this earth. I think his ego wrote a check his skills couldn't cash.

[@nathanc5778]

What's even the point of a gyroplane?

[@14nads]

Wow that did a header.. nose first too

[@HazellRahh]

When a cocky "know-it-all" pilot has more money than sense. This kind of absolutely avoidable negligent piloting "accident" will continue to happen because some pilots think "they got it" when all they really have is an inflated ego. Should I laugh or cry?

[@dbspecials1200]

I've seen this with land-based vehicles as well. an operator will think that he knows these vehicles, he knows what he can do and what these machines can do, so it will do what he makes it do. 'it will adapt to me, not the opposite'. However, it's safer to make these gross miscalculations on the ground.

[@philiphorner31]

If he ate a #1 McDonald's meal it wouldn't have saved him.

[@truegret7778]

This was avoidable. Thank goodness his son or another passenger [edit-Thank you @Jim H] was NOT onboard. My guess he, Dr Dal Canto, should have listened to his son, and accepted the coaching from Mr Seace.

[@57Jimmy]

I’m sure you mean son and…. Was NOT onboard!😉

[@truegret7778]

@@57Jimmy ARGH! Thank you. Prayers to his son and family.

[@commonsense8248]

Based on his behavior in this situation and crash. I'm surprised he lasted this long at flying anything. I doubt he aircraft had any flight time that wasn't jarring and harsh on the flight controls. Late in Life DARWIN AWARD.

[@timacrow]

Sad that this happened. I love gyrocopters/gyroplanes. Sad that people died. Keep on flying, my brave adventurers.

[@dalepatterson1748]

I couldn't help notice this guy was pulling back to get altitude before he even got enough airspeed. He just kept doing that. He stalled that aircraft.

[@LJ-gn2un]

Sadly - tragically - sounds like he accidently took his own life with another case of 'Iknowitallitis'.

[@planedude91]

behind the curve?? low g push over??

[@Newberntrains]

Looked like he got uncoordinated in a skid and when it pitched up from the power it was too far gone

[@Aviator168]

Probably both

[@Jonathan.D]

@@Newberntrains I agree. He didn't have control of it from the moment he let go of the brake. I could be wrong, but I believe there was something about alcohol being involved. We all know how that works out. One tequila, two tequila, gyrocopter, floor! That's no joke.

[@cameronlapworth2284]

Looks like his aggressive power inputs were met by him by punching the nose over unloading the rotor.

[@crooked-halo]

@@Jonathan.D Did you see the toxicology, ethanol report in the video? Obviously not.

[@scottmoseley5122]

who was filming and shouted..."he did that for you ?" was that directed to the Dr's son?

[@eyebidder]

"It's my toy, don't touch it"!

[@tymesho]

They need softer concrete ditches.

[@downhilltwofour0082]

Headstrong and arrogant. Get you every time.

[@DavesTreeFarm]

Never go full right rudder

[@paulbrouyere1735]

Condolences to friends and family of the pilot. Am I wrong to compare gyroplanes with the behavior of an angle grinder? Make a sudden move in one direction and the machine wants to turn away 90 degrees.

[@Jako1741]

There are old pilots and tere are bold pilots but there aren’t bold old pilots.