Air & Space 18A N6140S

Summary

On 20 August 1982 at about 13:20 local time, a Air & Space 18A registered N6140S, operated by Rodney D. Johnson, was involved in an accident near Orlando, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

20 August 1982 at 13:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Orlando, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Orlando Executive (ORL)

Coordinates

28.4998, -81.3703

Aircraft

Air & Space 18A

Registration

N6140S

Category

Gyrocraft

Engines

1

Operator

Rodney D. Johnson

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Orlando → Kissimmee

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA82DA173

1 person had minor injuries.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.