# NTSB ANC88DAG06: Air Command 532 Elite, N1925, Palmer, AK, July 18, 1988

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Final report
- Date: July 17, 1988, 19:45 local (Jul 18, 1988, 03:45 UTC)
- Place: Palmer, AK
- Coordinates: 61.62054, -148.979385 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=61.6205&lon=-148.9794&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 14, 1989
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office
- NTSB case key (mKey): 4938
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC88DAG06
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/4938/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC88DAG06

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - lack of total experience in type of aircraft, pilot in command (contributing factor)

## Analysis

DURING LANDING APPROACH AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF DESCENT DEVELOPED VERY NEAR THE RUNWAY. THE GYROPLANE LANDED HARD. AFTER THE HARD LANDING THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE PULLED THE CONTROL COLUMN TO ITS AFT POSITION ABRUPTLY. THE SMALL TAIL WHEEL STRUCK THE RUNWAY SURFACE AND FAILED.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N1925 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AIR COMMAND 532 ELITE
- Category: Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number: RH 001
- Airframe hours: 10
- Engines: ROTAX 532 64 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Operator: Harsh, Toni H.
- Registered owner: Wayne M. Robinson/Toni R Harsh
- Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed: PAQ, PALMER, AK
- Airport: PAQ, Palmer Municipal, runway 15, 5,000 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 39; student; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: center; flight hours: 20 total, 10 in this make and model, 20 as pilot in command, 15 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 9,000 ft broken
- Temperature: 64 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: PAQ, 2 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19880717030249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19880717030249A), Jul 17, 1988: Amtrac ELITE532, Palmer, AK, Substantial damage. Student on first solo overcontrolled and landed hard. Tailwheel struck first, damaging rotor blades on the gyroplane

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.

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