- Date
- August 20, 1982, 09:20 local (13:20 UTC)
- Place
- Orlando, FL
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N6140SAir & Space 18A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 20, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820820040099A
- Case key
- 72108
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
During takeoff, the gyrocopter lifted off to only about 3 ft, instead of the usual 10 to 15 ft. it then settled back to the runway and encountered a ground resonant condition. The pilot stated that once the wheels were carrying the weight, the blades would unload, then they would "pitch high" and slow down. Reportedly, when this condition was coupled with the fast forward velocity, a resonant vibration occurred. The condition became progressively worse until the left gear failed and the gyrocopter rolled over. The pilot believed that the accident would not have occurred if he had aborted the takeoff when the aircraft settled back onto the runway.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6140S
- Reported as
- Air & Space 18A
- Category
- Gyroplane
- Serial number
- 18-48
- Airframe hours
- 114
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A1D, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Rodney D. Johnson
- Registered owner
- Rodney D. Johnson
- Departed
- ORL · Orlando, FL
- Destination
- Kissimmee, FL
- Airport
- ORL · Orlando Executive, runway 13, 4,620 × 100 ft, macadam
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
- 38
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 108 total · 39 in this make and model · 93 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Temperature
- 181 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- ORL
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.