Two died in a Gyro crash near Orange, NSW.
Later that day, two people died in a plane crash in western NSW.
Sad news for anyone.
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-31/ ... e/10451622

There is a AD out on TAG with the folding mast option
https://asra.org.au/application/files/2 ... RO_TAG.pdf

Once again, sad news.

Ouch. Bad week for the community.
Condolences to all touched by this tragedy.

Yikes!! What is going on? So sad all of these losses.... here and state side...

Condolences to everyone affected...

I read that it was an issue with the cheek plates on the folding mast in the TAG case, and these have been grounded now in OZ.
:(

Last night I contacted the 3 USA TAG owners with the foldable mast option ... they too are grounded ...as soon as ASRA issued the AD for machines with that optional design feature! .... we put it out to the affected owners ...so all are aware!
The crash gyro was apparently loaded beyond placarded weight limits .... but the weight of those plates should have been easily up to the loads!
metallurgical testing will reveal if the metal was in spec.
The fold-mast prototype has a 1,000 hours with no issue!
ASRA is very responsive to disseminate needed information to the gyro community down there very rapidly when accidents reveal a clear problem! All the reported & reviewed accidents & incidents are summarized in the quarterly Gyro-news!

A Brutal week for all of us ...up here - down there!

Thank you Chris for putting the info out. SB's, advisories are essential I think for companies to get out there to their customers. Unfortunately not all companies in the experimental market are that forthcoming as they are not obligated to do so like in the certified market. I have experienced some real shortcomings in this respect with my floats over this last year. 3 known structural defects, zero advisories except for one which I had to ask for as it was not automatically distributed to all owners.

Are you telling us that the float makers acted as if you were the only one with that problem?
Nahhhhh they wouldn't do that, would they?
I am glad you haven't had more serious outcome due to that problem!
I still think it was a mistake to sell the Tangerine Scream LOL....

.

Sad news . Condolences to all

We are loosing some of the best , Chris Lord and before that John Uptigrove (mosquito)

.........................

Chris .... from what I can tell ... the folding mast is held by 2 bolts .... the mast pivots on one bolt and the other locks it in place . Does that sound right ? Is that the part that failed ?

The bolts are also mounted in a rubber encasement , to smooth out vibrations I presume.

Thanks .

Updated information suggests that somehow the heavily overloaded gyro -IE Pilot( heavier than Jim) well over 300 lb plus 250 -ish big CFI ( all Jim's trainer's were 180-190lb ) were training in gusty conditions ... without installing the needed front stick modified lower plates allowing full back-stick in a more fwds position ..(not in big-guys belly) ...AND without getting the larger pilot harness installed - needed to fit the big guy in front ...barely able to latch the lap harness ... not using shoulder straps!
Student struggling with getting stick full back & thus tough landings & not-so- good TO flight profile!

The examination of the ripped -off uppermast .+ rotor @ plates...revealed that the forces doing the ripping were ( unexpectedly)from back-to front (& of order of 8G)...and opinion is that they managed to go neg-G somehow ...big guy in front body-jammed the stick ??? ...somehow & flipped over ..the rotor chopped front of nose pod, tore off .caught tail on way down!

Neil is less frantic now that there is a TRUE - TAG design or metal strength issue! seems like a compound situation of swiss-cheese factors!

We expect to see the ASRA AD ... recinded ... or modified in due course!

Neil will go ahead with offering thicker plates to fold mast owners ...just for HIS peace of mind! He is also doing a special inspection on tail bracket attachment to keel .. close look at the serial # 's greater than #40 ... but double checking ALL TAGS have tail/keel nustserts correctly installed!