AutoGyro MTOsport crash near off Skydive Dubai Palm Dropzone, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

The gyroplane, flown by a Dutch pilot competing in an air race at the 2015 World Air Games in Dubai, lost control and struck the sea after passing the final course pylon. The pilot was submerged for around ten minutes before search and rescue divers recovered him unconscious; he did not regain consciousness and died ten days later. The investigation determined the most probable cause was loss of control during a high-speed unbalanced left turn while distracted by the loss of his helmet; a sudden left control input against the stops caused the rotors to lose lift, the aircraft entered negative g, suffered a loss of engine power, and rolled and dived into the water at high speed. Contributing factors were the pilot's inexperience with just over 20 hours as pilot-in-command on type, a selection process that allowed all nominated pilots to compete regardless of experience, his being permitted to fly with less than the 45 hours required by GCAA CAAP 15, the absence of an established safe height for the course with most of the flight flown at around 100 feet above the water, and speeds in the yellow precautionary range above 120 km/h.