Csp Leasing LLC CAVALON accident near Santa Maria, California, March 10, 2017
On March 10, 2017 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 2015 Csp Leasing LLC CAVALON (gyroplane), an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N425AG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Santa Maria, California (Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan H airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s improper landing flare and subsequent failure to maintain crosswind correction during landing in crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 2017 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Maria, California · Santa Maria Pub/Capt G Allan H · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Csp Leasing LLC CAVALON NO SERIES, built 2015, amateur-built · all CAVALONs on the register
- Registration
- N425AG · no longer on the register · serial V00208
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that, during a stop-and-go landing in crosswind conditions, the gyroplane bounced about 4 ft. He added that the wind lifted the gyroplane and that he did not have "the speed or rudder control to counteract" the drift. The gyroplane impacted the ground on its right side. The gyroplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The student pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. A review of recorded data from the automated weather observation station located on the airport revealed that, about 39 minutes before the accident, the wind was from 300° at 8 knots. The gyroplane landed on runway 30.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Abnormal runway contact during landing defining event
- Miscellaneous/other during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 85 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 129 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 8, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 914 (piston); 129 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMX Santa Maria CA at 10:30 pm
- Destination: SMX Santa Maria CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 8,004 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from KSMX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA17CA184.