# NTSB CHI01LA278: Gremminger 532 Commander, N609CE, Ste. Genevieve, MO, August 12, 2001 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 11, 2001, 19:00 local (Aug 12, 2001, 00:00 UTC) - Place: Ste. Genevieve, MO - Coordinates: 37.970989, -90.03939 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.9710&lon=-90.0394&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 23, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 53017 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI01LA278 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/53017/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI01LA278 ## Probable cause The inadequate fuel supply for the flight which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor associated with the accident was the low altitude and the soft terrain on which the forced landing was made. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(total) - nonmechanical, approach - vfr pattern - downwind - fluid,fuel - exhaustion (cause) - fuel supply - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - altitude - low (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing - roll - terrain condition - soft (contributing factor) ## Analysis The gyrocopter nosed over during a forced landing following a loss of engine power while on downwind to land. The pilot reported he had made several flights during the day which included practicing forced landings. The pilot reported that he took off and stayed in the traffic pattern to land. He reported, "Turning onto the crosswind leg I noted the fuel level indication at one eighth of a tank and decided that this will be my last circuit for the day." The pilot reported he turned onto downwind and leveled off at an altitude of 200 feet above the ground. He reported that after 3 - 5 seconds the engine lost power. The pilot reported that due to the low altitude and the high sink rate, he was committed to an off airport landing. The pilot reported there was a bean field near the downwind leg which contained a barren area. He reported the barren area was wet with an area which looked dry. He made the landing on the section which looked dry. The pilot reported, "As the nose landing gear touched down there was a sensation of the aircraft's nose continuing down below normal ground roll attitude. At this point it became obvious that the aircraft was tipping over forward and to the left." The pilot reported that after the landing he discovered that there was damp mud under a thin layer of dry terrain. The pilot reported that two cups of fuel were drained from the fuel tank following the forced landing. ## Factual narrative On August 11, 2001, at 1900 central daylight time, a Gremminger 532 Commander gyroplane, nosed over during a forced landing following a loss of engine power while on downwind to land at the Genevieve Flying Club Airstrip, in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri. The pilot was not injured. The gyroplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The local flight originated in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, at 1800. The pilot reported he had made several flights during the day which included practicing forced landings. The pilot reported that he took off and stayed in the traffic pattern to land. He reported, "Turning onto the crosswind leg I noted the fuel level indication at one eighth of a tank and decided that this will be my last circuit for the day." The pilot reported he turned onto downwind and leveled off at an altitude of 200 feet above the ground. He reported that after 3 - 5 seconds the engine lost power. The pilot reported that due to the low altitude and the high sink rate, he was committed to an off airport landing. The pilot reported there was a bean field near the downwind leg which contained a barren area. He reported the barren area was wet with an area which looked dry. He made the landing on the section which looked dry. The pilot reported, "As the nose landing gear touched down there was a sensation of the aircraft's nose continuing down below normal ground roll attitude. At this point it became obvious that the aircraft was tipping over forward and to the left." The pilot reported that after the landing he discovered that there was damp mud under a thin layer of dry terrain. The pilot reported that two cups of fuel were drained from the fuel tank following the forced landing. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N609CE](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N609CE-2002-05-02), registration cancelled 2002-05-02, S/N 609, built 1987 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Gremminger 532 Commander - Registry model: [Gremminger Greg 532 COMMANDER](https://openairdocs.org/model/gremminger-greg-532-commander) (registry code 13027HL) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Gyroplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 609 - Airframe hours: 1701 - Engines: Rotax 582 65 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Kestutis L. Zigaitis - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, June 16, 2001, 10 hours before - Departed: 6MO2, Ste. Genevieve, MO - Airport: 6MO2, St. Genevieve Flying Club Arpt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 46; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review May 12, 2001; seat: center; flight hours: 220 total, 58 in this make and model, 156 as pilot in command, 16 in the last 90 days, 9 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 0° at 0 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 75 °F - Altimeter: 30.01 inHg - Observed at: SAR, 23 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 20010811038289A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010811038289A), Aug 11, 2001: Amtr COMMANDER532, St.Genevieve, MO, No damage. (-23) Pilot and mechanic kestutis l. zigaitis had recently added a capacity type fuel gauge to supplement the difficult to see float fuel gauge. Gauge was… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.