Sycamore Accident
Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2013 8:31 am
Good Day All
I am currently involved with the accident investigation on a Sycamore gyrocopter - ZU-EUI in South Africa.
The dual brackets attaching the rotor-head assembly (in this case a 33ft aluminium rotor conversion from a 30ft) fractured in flight. The pilot and passenger survived the forced landing. I found the brackets/plates to be of inferior quality, not only when compared to an intact 'reference set', but also for this (crucial) application. I also noted that no part/serial/batch numbers on these brackets, not on the failed nor on the new. Can anyone on this forum supply me with these number/s and if any exist? Did anyone ever experienced the same type of failure/s?
Coenraad Snyman
Physical Metallurgist
Aircraft Accident Investigator (Coenraad@crashlab.co.za)
I am currently involved with the accident investigation on a Sycamore gyrocopter - ZU-EUI in South Africa.
The dual brackets attaching the rotor-head assembly (in this case a 33ft aluminium rotor conversion from a 30ft) fractured in flight. The pilot and passenger survived the forced landing. I found the brackets/plates to be of inferior quality, not only when compared to an intact 'reference set', but also for this (crucial) application. I also noted that no part/serial/batch numbers on these brackets, not on the failed nor on the new. Can anyone on this forum supply me with these number/s and if any exist? Did anyone ever experienced the same type of failure/s?
Coenraad Snyman
Physical Metallurgist
Aircraft Accident Investigator (Coenraad@crashlab.co.za)