- Date
- November 4, 1987, 12:05 local (17:05 UTC)
- Place
- Meriden, CT
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N501JLLamb Commander Elite
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 10, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19871104062279A
- Case key
- 35986
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 failure to maintain control of the homebuilt gyrocopter while preforming low level 'fast taxi' maneuvers.
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
Several witnesses observed the pilot performing repeated low level 'fast taxi' maneuvers in his homebuilt gyrocopter. They stated that the pilot hover-taxied parallel to the runway at an estimated 4 to 5 feet above the ground. Witnesses stated that 'he seemed to be having trouble...he would stop, unbuckle and examine the rotor head, make some adjustments...get back in and taxi (again).' During the last attempt to fast taxi, the gyrocopter was observed flying at about 5 feet above the ground, 'then went up into the air approximately 50 feet, but it was very erratic...it then dived...into the ground.' Another witness stated that the aircraft swayed from side to side before it 'plunged towards the ground and crashed.' Inspection of engine and airframe did not show any evidence of a malfunction.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N501JL
- Reported as
- Lamb Commander Elite (COMMANDER)
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1501
- Airframe hours
- 1
- Engine
- Rotax GMBH 3601927, 64 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Jerome Lamb
- Airport
- 4B4 · Meriden Arpt
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
- 57
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 90 total · 9 in this make and model · 55 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 6 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 61 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- HFD, 17 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.