# Accident 20030101001369A: Amtr AIRCMDRELITE, Chicago, IL, January 1, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 1, 2003, 14:30 local time
- Place: Chicago, IL
- Airport: Lansing Municipal Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.5349° N, 87.5295° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at LANSING MUNI (IGQ), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.5349&lon=-87.5295&mi=10
- Aircraft: NONE (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AMTR AIRCMDRELITE
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030101001369A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON JANUARY 1, 2003, AT 1430 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, AN UN-REGISTERED, AMATEUR-BUILT, AIR COMMAND GYROCOPTER WAS DESTROYED AFTER A LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE MANEUVERING IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT THE LANSING MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, LANSING, ILLINOIS. THE GYROPCOPTER WAS REPORTED TO HAVE TAKEN OFF TO THE NORTH FROM A NORTH/SOUTH TAXIWAY. THE UN-CERTIFICATED PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 AND WAS NOT ON A FLIGHT PLAN. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT HAD JUST ORIGINATED WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. (-23) GYROCOPTER WAS OBSERVED TAKING OFF FROM A TAXIWAY. ONCE AIRBORNE, THE GYROCOPTER WAS OBSERVED TURNING DOWN WIND AS IF THE PILOT WANTED TO STAY IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. SHORTLY AFTER ESTABLISHED DOWN WIND THE GYROCOPTER WAS OBSERVED DEVELOPING A VERTICAL OSCILLATION WHICH BECAME MORE VIOLENT EACH OCCURRENCE. THE LAST OSCILLATION CAUSED THE GYROCOPTER TO FALL NEAR VERTICALLY AND IMPACT THE GROUND NEAR THE RUNWAY. PILOT DIED IN THE IMPACT. GYROCOPTER WEIGHT WAS IN EXCESS OF MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE FOR ULTRA LITE STATUS, THE                                                                REFORE, THE AIRCRAFT WAS REQUIRED TO BE REGISTERED AND THE PILOT CERTIFIED UNDER FAR PART 61.3.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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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