Gyroplane (Gyrocopter) Engine Out! Emergency Landing During Bensen Days 2009

Engine Out, Emergency Landing of a gyroplane ( gyrocopter / autogyro ) in a cow pasture. This is the only known video footage of an engine out captured Air-to-Air.

Greg Spicola captured what is believed to be the only existing Air-To-Air footage of a gyro engine out event.

Greg was wearing a helmet cam fitted with an Oregon Scientific digital video camera.

While touring the remote rural countryside of Florida, during a 15-20 mph gusty windy day, a group of gyroplanes were flying together and practicing maneuvers.

The lead gyroplane, owned by pilot Scott Essex had an engine failure at ~ 70 feet AGL just after turning downwind.

Because autogyros are always in auto-rotation they maintain almost full maneuverability in an engine out scenario and can make a zero roll landing even on very rough terrain.

After Scott executes a text-book perfect engine out landing, Greg, flying the next ship in the formation lands in the pasture to investigate.

Meanwhile, the rest of the gyroplanes, flown by Dave Bliss and Kevin Aurandt circle above.

Scott was compeltely unharmed and the gyroplane suffered no damage.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Gyrocopter
• Emergency
• Landing
• Engine
• quit
• out
• crash
• Bensen
• Days
• 2009
• gyroplane
• autogyro
• rotorcraft
• helicopter
• experimental
• light
• sport
• LSA
• Kit
• ultralight
• low
• and
• slow
• flight
• Oregon
• Scientific

[drott150]

What caused the engine out? INquiring minds want to know. And kudos on the quality of the flying video. The Air and Space museum in Washington DC has various aviation related IMAX movies with incredible flying footage. They need to update their film stock by mounting an IMAX camera to a gyro and recording some of the awesome flying you guys are doing!

[bmwcyclist]

Cause is still unknown. A discussion is takeing place on the rotaryforum about it.

One if the pistons was pretty much destroyed.

thanks!

[89sx]

WOW! Great job on the video!

[bmwcyclist]

Thanks!

[gyrogas]

Good job TO'

[bmwcyclist]

thank you!

[netraam99]

can you hover in this planes????

[Anchanthai]

I'm glad you were able to land safely -

[Digitoolsheep]

Friggin love the music!  Had me terrified the whole time! You need someone that sounds like the guy on worlds scariest police chases!

Wasn't that bad though... How long of a glide was that?

[SuperchargedS10]

Any idea what CHT he was running or even the EGT's?

[aznbl4ckdud369]

fly on the wall - miley cyrus

[beachnative420]

What is with the annnoying text on the video, ever hear of audio editing?

[jrichman63]

whats the music?

[jhr459]

So, if someone was thinking about getting some sort of 'ultralight' then would the recommendation be a gyro-copter for the safety aspect?

[89sx]

The engine out was caused by a burned piston. Still trying to figure out if it was a fuel problem, air leak, or the pipe/carb jetting was on the lean side. Once I get it figured out I'll let you all know, That way it won't happen again. SX

[bessybessy]

Thank You, right that I needed because I have today to show that to some people on a croatian forum. So they can see how much safe gyrocopter / gyroplane is.

OT: please use youtube on-line editing, the letters are smaller and clearer and do not hide so much from pictures. I discovered that before some days too. Cheers from far Croatia, Mladen