Air & Space 18A N6141S

Summary

On 5 April 1987 at about 15:00 local time, a Air & Space 18A registered N6141S was involved in an accident near Paducah, Kentucky, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

5 April 1987 at 15:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Paducah, Kentucky, United States

Nearest airport

Farrongton Airpark (KY29)

Coordinates

37.0699, -88.6297

Aircraft

Air & Space 18A

Registration

N6141S

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

ATL87LA105

1 person was seriously injured.

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

THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE SPUN THE ROTOR UP TO 350 RPM IN PREPARATION FOR A MAXIMUM PERFORMANCE TAKEOFF. DURING TAKEOFF ROLL, THE GYROPLANE EXPERIENCED GROUND RESONANCE. THE PLT REDUCED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE, BUT THE OSCILLATIONS CONTINUED AND THE RT MAIN LDG GEAR COLLAPSED. THE ROTOR SUBSEQUENTLY STRUCK THE RUNWAY AND TORE LOOSE FROM THE GYROPLANE. THE PILOT NOTED THAT SLIGHT BARELY NOTICEABLE UNDULATIONS EXISTED IN THE PORTION OF THE RWY SURFACE USED DUIRNG THE TAKEOFF ROLL. THE FAA APPROVED FLT MANUAL (AFM) FOR THE GYROPLANE CONTAINS NO EMERGENCY OPERATION PROCEDURES FOR GROUND RESONANCE. THE ACFT OPERATOR REPORTED THAT THE PLT WAS TAUGHT TO TAKEOFF IF SUFFICIENT ROTOR RPM WAS AVAILABLE IN THE EVENT OF GROUND RESONANCE. THE AFM STATES THAT ANY AIRSPEED MAY BE USED FOR TAKEOFF IF THE ROTOR DOES NOT DECAY BELOW 140 RPM.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.