Pratt DOMINATOR N4449N

Summary

On 25 September 1999 at about 20:54 local time, a Pratt DOMINATOR registered N4449N was involved in an accident near Auburn, Maine, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

25 September 1999 at 20:54

Classification

Accident

Location

Auburn, Maine, United States

Nearest airport

Auburn Municipal (LEW)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Pratt DOMINATOR

Registration

N4449N

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

NYC99LA237

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's improper decision to execute a 0 airspeed pedal turn at 100 feet agl.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was practicing a 180 degree turn with 0 airspeed to a downwind condition at 100 feet agl in his homebuilt gyroplane. He had successfully completed the maneuver once, and was attempting it for a second time. During the second attempt, the pilot slowed the gyroplane until reaching approximately 0 airspeed, then applied pedal to execute the turn. The gyroplane entered a rapid descent. The pilot advanced the throttle, and lowered the nose of the gyroplane to gain airspeed. Recognizing the impending impact, the pilot leveled the rotor's tip-path-plane, and the gyroplane impacted the ground level with forward airspeed. The landing gear collapsed, and the rotor contacted the ground on both sides. In addition, the rotor contacted the engine driven propeller, shearing off all three blades. The gyroplane bounced back into the air, and then impacted the ground for a second time. During the second impact, the gyroplane was level, but rolled right after ground contact, and slid 20 to 30 feet on its side before coming to a stop. According to the kit manufacturer, at 0 airspeed the gyroplane would descend at 1,000 to 1,500 feet per minute.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.