- Date
- January 11, 1990, 13:42 local (20:42 UTC)
- Place
- Hansen, ID
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- UNREGStanger Aircommander 532
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 41163
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
Failue of the pilot to maintain control of the gyrocopter after entering an abrupt pull-up from a low pass. Factors related to the accident were: failure of the pilot to follow procedures/directives, his lack of certification (qualification) for this flight, and his lack of flying experience.
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 pilot was conducting a sales demo flight in the uncertificated gyroplane, performing maneuvers at a low altitude. He made a low pass at 15 feet above the ground, and initiated a steep angle, maximum rate climb to approx 50 feet. The acft spun to the right, rolled onto its side, descended vertially and impacted the ground. The unlicensed pilot had about 23 hours flight time.
Aircraft
- Registration
- UNREG
- Reported as
- Stanger Aircommander 532 (AIRCOMMAND)
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 0572
- Airframe hours
- 14
- Engine
- Rotax 532, 65 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Preston E. Stanger
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Flight hours
- 23 total · 23 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 80° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 45 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- TWF, 9 nm away