# NTSB IAD05LA116: O'Connor Air Command Elite, N2416P, Cincinnati, OH, August 7, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 7, 2005, 14:55 local (18:55 UTC) - Place: Cincinnati, OH - Coordinates: 39.246665, -84.388885 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2467&lon=-84.3889&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 25, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA\FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 62158 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD05LA116 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/62158/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD05LA116 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper flare following a partial loss of engine power, which resulted in a hard landing. A factor was the partial loss of engine power for unknown reasons. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of engine power(partial) - nonmechanical, takeoff - initial climb - reason for occurrence undetermined (contributing factor) - Forced landing, descent - emergency - Hard landing, emergency landing after takeoff - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis Shortly after takeoff, about three-quarters down the runway and at an altitude of 50 feet, the gyrocopter's engine surged, then experienced a "partial, but significant loss of power." The pilot reduced the power to idle and attempted to land on the remaining runway. He flared too high, the main landing gear hit the runway "hard," and the gyrocopter's nose pitched down, collapsing the nose wheel and shearing it off. The gyrocopter then rolled about 90 degrees onto its right side, and skidded to a stop just before reaching the end of the runway. The gyrocopter was powered by a non-certified engine, and the reason for the partial loss of engine power was not determined. The pilot reported a total of 76 hours of flight time, of which, 72 hours were in gyrocopters. ## Factual narrative On August 7, 2005, about 1455 eastern daylight time, a homebuilt Air Command Elite gyrocopter, N2416P, was substantially damaged during a forced landing at Cincinnati-Blue Ash Airport (ISZ), Cincinnati, Ohio. The certificated private pilot was not injured, and the passenger incurred minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight, conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot reported to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector that shortly after takeoff, about three-quarters down runway 24 and at an altitude of 50 feet, the engine "surged," then experienced a "partial, but significant loss of power." The pilot reduced the power to idle and attempted to land on the remaining runway. He flared too high, the main landing gear hit the runway "hard," and the gyrocopter's nose pitched down, "collapsing the nose wheel and shearing it off." The gyrocopter then rolled about 90 degrees onto its right side, and skidded to a stop just before reaching the end of the runway. The gyrocopter was powered by a non-certified Subaru 1522 engine. The post-accident examination of the wreckage did not reveal the reason for the partial power loss. The pilot reported a total of 76 hours of flight time, of which, 72 hours were in gyrocopters. Weather, reported at an airport about 12 nautical miles to the southeast, at 1453, included winds from 050 degrees true at 5 knots, temperature 88 degrees Fahrenheit, and dew point 73 degrees Fahrenheit. ## Aircraft - Registration: N2416P (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: O'Connor Air Command Elite - Category: Gyroplane, amateur-built - Serial number: AC2SBST0 - Airframe hours: 48 - Engines: Subaru 1522 130 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Registered owner: Timmothy O'Connor - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, July 1, 2005, 48 hours before - Departed: ISZ, Cincinnati, OH - Airport: ISZ, Blue Ash Airport, runway 24, 3,499 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 37; injuries: none; private; medical: class 3; seat: left; flight hours: 76 total, 48 in this make and model, 23 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 50° at 5 knots - Visibility: 6 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 73 °F - Altimeter: 30.10 inHg - Observed at: LUK, 12 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 20050807025989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050807025989A), Aug 7, 2005: Amtr AIRCMDRELITE, Cincinnati, OH, Destroyed. (-23) An experimental gyrocopter attempted a take-off on runway 24 at the Blue ash airport, Cincinnati, Ohio (isz) at approximately 1455 local time. Just after… 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.