# NTSB SEA02LA176: Eells Air Command 503, N25069, Prineville, OR, September 15, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: September 15, 2002, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC) - Place: Prineville, OR - Coordinates: 44.289443, -120.906387 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.2894&lon=-120.9064&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 8, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 55705 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=SEA02LA176 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/55705/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA02LA176 ## Probable cause The student pilot's failure to maintain airspeed resulting in a hard landing. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - airspeed - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The student pilot reported that he flew the gyroplane down to about 11 feet above the runway surface for landing. He then pulled the control stick back to level the aircraft. The student pilot stated that the aircraft ballooned a little so he pushed the stick forward. At this point, the aircraft was about 12 feet above the runway and it began to rapidly descend. The student pilot applied power to arrest the sink rate, however, the rotor speed had decayed and the aircraft landed hard with no forward airspeed. After touchdown, the aircraft bounced and tilted to the left. The rotors contacted the runway surface and the aircraft came to rest on its left side. The student pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft at the time. ## Factual narrative On September 15, 2002, about 0930 Pacific daylight time, an experimental Air Command 503 gyrocopter, N25069, registered to a private individual and operated by a student pilot as a 14 CFR Part 91 instructional flight, landed hard and bounced at the Prineville Airport, Prineville, Oregon. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the local flight. The gyrocopter was substantially damaged and the student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The student pilot reported that he flew the aircraft down to about 11 feet above ground level over the runway for landing. He then pulled the control stick back to level the aircraft. The student pilot stated that the aircraft ballooned a little so he pushed the stick forward. At this point, the aircraft was about 12 feet above the runway and began to rapidly descend. The student pilot applied power to arrest the sink rate, however, the rotor speed had decayed and the aircraft landed hard with no forward airspeed. After touchdown, the aircraft bounced and tilted to the left. The rotors contacted the runway surface and the aircraft came to rest on its left side. The student pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the aircraft at the time. The student pilot reported a total flight time in all aircraft (gyrocopter) of 46.2 hours. A total of 19.8 hours were accumulated as pilot-in command. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N25069](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N25069-2004-03-29), registration cancelled 2004-03-29, S/N 1D188 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Eells Air Command 503 - Registry model: [Eells Belinda C AIR COMMAND-503](https://openairdocs.org/model/eells-belinda-c-air-command-503) (registry code 056087I) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Bombardier ROTAX (ALL)](https://openairdocs.org/engine/bombardier-rotax-all) (registry code 09050, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Gyroplane, amateur-built - Serial number: 1D188 - Airframe hours: 92 - Engines: Rotax 503 ULDCDI 52 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Registered owner: Belinda C. Eells - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Annual, March 1, 2002, 14 hours before - Departed: S39, Prineville, OR - Destination: S39 - Airport: S39, Prineville, runway 28, 5,000 × 60 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 53; injuries: none; student; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 46 total, 2 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 55 °F ## 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 20020915023549A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020915023549A), Sep 15, 2002: Amtr AIRCOMAND503, Prineville, OR, Substantial damage. (.19) On September 15, 2002, about 1000 pacific daylight time, an experimental air command 503 gyrocopter, N25069, registered to a private individual and… 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.