- Date
- June 28, 2012, 12:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Omaha, NE
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N447PMMichael A Howard Dominator
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Miscellaneous/other
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 9, 2012
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20120628013109A
- Case key
- 84165
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
A nosewheel shimmy on takeoff, which resulted in the failure of the nosewheel landing gear and a loss of control.
Findings · 1
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot, who was also the builder, was conducting flight testing on the newly built gyrocopter. He reported that he spun the rotor up to about 110 rpm and was attempting to accelerate the rotor to flight rpm by moving down the runway. The pilot added that he was going about 25 mph when the nosewheel hit a bump in the runway and started to shimmy. He immediately reduced the throttle to slow down; however, the nosewheel strut failed, and the gyrocopter turned left, rolled over, and came to rest on its right side. During the rollover, the rotor blades and fuselage sustained substantial damage.
Factual narrative
The pilot, who was also the builder, was conducting testing on the newly built gyrocopter. He reported that he spun the rotor up to approximately 110 rpm and was attempting to accelerate the rotor to flight rpm, by going down the runway. The pilot added that he was going about 25 mph when the nosewheel hit a bump in the runway and started to shimmy. He immediately reduced the throttle to slow down; however, the nosewheel strut failed, the craft turned left, and came to rest on its right side. During the rollover, the rotor and fuselage sustained substantial damage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N447PM
- Reported as
- Michael A Howard Dominator
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 4
- Airframe hours
- 1
- Engine
- Rotax UL582, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · Part 91
- Operator
- Howard Michael A
- Registered owner
- Howard Michael A
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- KMLE · Omaha, NE
- Destination
- KMLE · Omaha, NE
- Airport
- KMLE · Millard Airport, runway 12, 3,801 × 75 ft, concrete
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 68
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 25, 2010
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 3,132 total · 1 in this make and model · 3,132 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 70° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,300 ft broken
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 79 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- KMLE
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 8, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.