Rotorsport Uk LTD CAVALON accident near Murrieta, California, March 20, 2025
On March 20, 2025 at about 8:02 pm local time, a 2023 Rotorsport Uk LTD CAVALON (gyroplane), registered N157P, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Murrieta, California (French Valley Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an approach and subsequent descent into terrain. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot’s failure to perform a go-around maneuver.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 20, 2025 · about 8:02 pm local time
- Place
- Murrieta, California · French Valley Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rotorsport Uk LTD CAVALON, built 2023 · all CAVALONs on the register
- Registration
- N157P · registry record · serial RSUK-V00548
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that she was on a solo cross-country flight and had entered the airport traffic pattern. While on the base leg, she slowed the gyroplane to follow an airplane that was established on final approach. She then turned final after the airplane had landed, however, the airplane did not exit the runway as she had anticipated. She slowed the gyroplane further and allowed a “slow vertical descent” for additional spacing from the airplane. The pilot then noticed that she had allowed the airspeed and altitude to decay. She attempted to recover by applying full throttle, however, the gyroplane turned right into a grass area and impacted terrain about 250 ft from the approach end of the runway. The rotor blades, fuselage, keel, and rudder were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Student/instructed pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 58 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 123 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 19, 2025; 3.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,235 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 915 IS (piston); 126 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KCNO Chino CA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: F70 Murrieta CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19/3, 6,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from KHMT, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KHMT 201955Z AUTO 21005KT 10SM CLR 21/M01 A3010
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on May 29, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N157P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.