Air Commander LRT gyroplane, N962GT: Accident occurred May 07, 2016 in Tybee Island, Georgia

http://registry.faa.gov/N962GT

NTSB Identification: GAA16CA240
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, May 14, 2016 in Tybee Island, GA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 07/25/2016
Aircraft: MILLS GREGORY T AIR COMMANDER LRT, registration: N962GT
Injuries: 1 Uninjured.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot of a gyroplane reported that during a touch-and-go on a sand bar, the nose wheel began to dig into soft sand. The pilot further reported that he turned the nose wheel to the left towards firmer sand, but the spring-loaded nose wheel dug further into the sand and suddenly turned "full left." Subsequently, the gyroplane rolled over to the right, which resulted in substantial damage to the rudder. 

The pilot reported that the throttle quadrant friction-set screw had become loose while in-flight, but the mechanical malfunction did not occur during the touch-and-go phase of flight.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The pilot's decision to perform a touch-and-go on unsuitable terrain, which resulted in a loss of directional control and a rollover.