Lamb COMMANDER ELITE N501JL
4 November 1987 · Meriden, Connecticut, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 4 November 1987 at about 17:05 local time, a Lamb COMMANDER ELITE registered N501JL was involved in an accident near Meriden, Connecticut, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 17:05
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Meriden, Connecticut, United States
- Nearest airport
- Meriden Arpt (4B4)
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Lamb COMMANDER ELITE
- Registration
- N501JL
- Category
- Gyrocraft
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- NYC88DNE01
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE HOMEBUILT GYROCOPTER WHILE PREFORMING LOW LEVEL 'FAST TAXI' MANEUVERS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
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.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Jul 1987 | Cessna 172 | Groton, Connecticut, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 5 Jul 1987 | Noble FALCON X-P | Wallingford, Connecticut, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jul 1987 | Beechcraft C24R | Danbury, Connecticut, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 27 Jul 1987 | Piper PA-28-180 | Groton, Connecticut, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 1 Sep 1987 | Hall B-80M | Waterford, Connecticut, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 29 Sep 1987 | Cessna 152 | Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States | - | No injuries | - |