- Date
- March 24, 1991, 12:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Lansing, IL
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N447MRAir Command Gyrocopter
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 27, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19910324011839A
- Case key
- 14822
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 delayed pullup. A factor in the accident was the pilot's exessive rate of descent during the spiral maneuver.
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 pilot entered a descending spiral about 1000 feet above ground and landed hard in an open, muddy field. The pilot stated he failed to recover at a safe altitude. Examination of the wreckage showed control continuity existed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N447MR
- Reported as
- Air Command Gyrocopter
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 3496360
- Engine
- Rotax 532, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Michael M. Resney
- Registered owner
- Michael M. Resney
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Airport
- 3HA · Lansing
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
- 45
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 498 total · 378 in this make and model · 478 as pilot in command · 6 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 20 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N447MR · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.