- Date
- August 29, 1990, 14:50 local (19:50 UTC)
- Place
- Shreveport, LA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6132SAir & Space 18A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 9, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900829041219A
- Case key
- 23037
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
Failure of the pilot in command to follow published takeoff procedures.
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 PIC stated that at liftoff a severe lateral vibration occurred causing loss of control of the gyroplane. Witnesses reported an erratic porpoising pitching motion. The aircraft came to rest approximately 1,500 feet after control was lost, which was at the point of attempted liftoff. As a result of flapping, two of the three rotor blades contacted the propeller and rudder. Although not recommended by the manufacturer, the front seat was occupied by a pilot rated passenger with no gyroplane experience. During subsequent flight testing, takeoff was performed under similar conditions. Improper techniques during attempted liftoff resulted in erratic oscillation and rotor RPM decay. No mechanical malfunction was discovered.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6132S
- Reported as
- Air & Space 18A
- Category
- Gyroplane
- Serial number
- 18-39
- Airframe hours
- 1,004
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- FAA (Btr Fsdo)
- Registered owner
- Can-Am Capital, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 2, 1990 · 2 hours before
- Departed
- SHV
- Airport
- SHV · Regional, runway 23, 6,200 × 150 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
- 45
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 9,100 total · 14 in this make and model · 9,100 as pilot in command · 68 in the last 90 days · 49 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SHV, 1 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.