# Accident 20010901030949A: Amtr AIRCOMAND582, Gerlach, NV, September 1, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 1, 2001, 18:30 local time
- Place: Gerlach, NV
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Forced/Precautionary Landing
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.3198° N, 118.2001° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.3198&lon=-118.2001&mi=10
- Aircraft: N301CS, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N301CS-2012-03-01) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Sparke Charles L AIR COMMAND/582 DUAL (registry code 05603T3, https://openairdocs.org/model/sparke-charles-l-air-command-582-dual) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Bombardier ROTAX (ALL) (registry code 09050, https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR AIRCOMAND582
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA298](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA298) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010901030949A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) THIS EXPERIMENTAL HOME BUILT GYROCOPTER WAS STILL IN ITS INITIAL PHASES OF TEST FLIGHTS FOR CERTIFICATION. THE OWNER/OPERATOR HAD PERFORMED SOME MINOR MODIFICATIONS OT THE ENGINE/PROP/ROTORS TO IMPROVE PERFORMANCE. ON THE TEST FLIGHT HE LOST FORWARD SPEED AT THIRTY FEET AGL AND THE DESCENT WAS HARD ENOUGH TO CAUSE A WHEEL TO COLLAPSE, THE ROTORS TO HIT THE GROUND, AND THE AIRCRAFT TO FLIP OVER. (.4) ON SEPTEMBER 1, 2001, AT 1830 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A SPARKE AIR COMMAND 582 DUAL, N301CS, DESCENDED TO THE GROUND DURING THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB FROM A DRY LAKE BED, 10 MILES NORTH OF GERLACH, NEVADA. THE PRIVATE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS UNINJURED, AND THE GYROCOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT CONDUCTED BY THE PILOT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE EXPERIMENTAL GYROCOPTER'S FLIGHT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE GYROCOPTER WAS STILL IN THE TESTING PHASE OF THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS. HE HAD BUILT IT ABOUT 2 YEARS AGO AND HAD BEEN MODIFYING IT IN ORDER TO REACH AN ACCEPTABLE PERFORMANCE LEVEL. IT HAD BEEN FLOWN A                                              PPROXIMATELY 10 TIMES SINCE CONSTRUCTION, BUT THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER COMBINATION WAS NOT GIVING HIM THE PERFORMANCE NEEDED TO OPERATE THE GYROCOPTER SAFELY. HE HAD RECENTLY MOVED THE PILOT AND PASSENGER SEATS CLOSER TOGETHER TO IMPROVE THE AIRFLOW TO THE PROPELLER, AND WAS TESTING THIS LATEST MODIFICATION AT A DRY LAKE BED NEAR GERLACH. THE GYROCOPTER WAS TAKEN TO THE LAKE BED BY TRAILER AND ASSEMBLED ON SITE. THE PILOT MADE ONE TEST FLIGHT AND RETURNED TO READJUST THE PROPELLER PITCH SETTING. ON THE SECOND FLIGHT, THE PILOT DEPARTED UPWIND AND CLIMBED TO 30 FEET. WHEN HE TURNED TO A DOWNWIND HEADING, HE LOST FORWARD SPEED AND THE GYROCOPTER BEGAN TO DESCEND. THE GYROCOPTER CONTACTED THE GROUND ON THE LEFT TIRE, WHICH RESULTED IN A ROLLOVER. THE ROTOR BLADES THEN CONTACTED THE GROUND AND WERE DESTROYED. THE PILOT DID NOT NOTE ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION PRIOR TO OR AFTER THE ACCIDENT. A REPORT OF THE ACCIDENT ON NTSB FORM 6120.1/2 WAS NOT PROVIDED.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX01LA298](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA298), Sep 2, 2001: Sparke Air Command 582 Dual (N301CS), Gerlach, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inability to maintain altitude because of the gyrocopter's inadequatly designed performance capability.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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