- Date
- January 22, 1990, 15:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Munster, IN
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- UNREGAir Command 532
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 23, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 14492
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
The pilot's exceeding the design stress limits of the aircraft. Factors in the accident were the pilot's ostentatious display and his lack of total experience in type aircraft.
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 non-rated pilot was observed making several low altitude, low speed passes. The gyroplane was then observed making high bank turns and accelerating to speeds faster than the witnesses had seen a gyroplane fly before. After rolling out of a turn and leveling off, the aircraft was observed to begin a series of up-and-down roller coaster-like maneuvers followed by a diving roll to impact. The pilot had a student pilot certificate and had received gyroplane instruction from two instructors. Neither instructor had certified the pilot for solo flight in a gyroplane.
Aircraft
- Registration
- UNREG
- Reported as
- Air Command 532
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Engine
- Rotax 532LC, 64 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Sheimo, Julian A.
- Registered owner
- Unknown
- Departed
- 3HA · Lansing, IL
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 38
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 36 total · 13 in this make and model · 13 as pilot in command · 36 in the last 90 days · 7 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- GYY, 9 nm away