Farrington AIR COMMAND 532 N532RC

Summary

On 7 April 1990 at about 21:11 local time, a Farrington AIR COMMAND 532 registered N532RC was involved in an accident near Okeechobee, Florida, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 April 1990 at 21:11

Classification

Accident

Location

Okeechobee, Florida, United States

Nearest airport

Okeechobee County (OBE)

Coordinates

27.4991, -80.9309

Aircraft

Farrington AIR COMMAND 532

Registration

N532RC

Category

Gyrocraft

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA90FA102

1 person died.

PILOT'S DECISION TO ATTEMPT TO FLY THE GYROCOPTER WITHOUT PROPER TRAINING RESULTING IN THE INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL AND SUBSEQUENT CRASH.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

PLT HAD RECEIVED ONLY APROX. 1 HOUR TOTAL GYROCOPTER FLIGHT TIME AND APPROX. 15 MINUTES OF DUAL INSTRUCTION AND HAD NOT BEEN SIGNED OFF FOR SOLO FLIGHT. PLT HAD EXPIRED MEDICAL CERTIFICATE AND NO RECORD OF HAVING RECEIVED A BIENNIAL FLIGHT REVIEW. GYROCOPTER HAD NO RECORD OF HAVING CURRENT INSPECTION. PLT INADVERTENTLY LET GYROCOPTER PORPOISE RESULTING IN MAIN ROTOR RPM SLOWING AND MAIN ROTOR BLADE CONTACTING ROTOR HEAD AND PROPELLER. ALL CONTROL WAS LOST AND GYROCOPTER DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND. NO POST CRASH EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OF THE STRUCTURE, FLIGHT CONTROLS, OR ENGINE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.