- Date
- July 18, 1988, 19:30 local (23:30 UTC)
- Place
- North Lima, OH
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9173WGeddes Commander 503
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 25, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 13861
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
Pilots continued operation of the aircraft with a known deficiency and attempting to stretch his partial power descent to reach a runway rather than land off airport.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The gyroplane struck a tree with the main rotor blades and descended out of control into terrain. The pilot was attempting to stretch a partial power emergency descent to reach his intended touch down point. The pilot reported a partial power loss. No malfunctions or mechanical failures were found.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9173W
- Reported as
- Geddes Commander 503 (COMMANDER)
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- ETG-1
- Airframe hours
- 151
- Engine
- Rotax 503, 20 lbs thrust, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Edward T. Geddes
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Unknown · July 3, 1988 · 3 hours before
- Departed
- 4G4
- Destination
- 4G4
- Airport
- 4G4 · Elser Metro
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,300 total · 27 in this make and model · 2,000 as pilot in command · 50 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 4 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- YNG, 10 nm away