Sparke AIR COMMAND 582 DUAL N301CS

Summary

On 2 September 2001 at about 01:30 local time, a Sparke AIR COMMAND 582 DUAL registered N301CS was involved in an accident near Gerlach, Nevada, 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

2 September 2001 at 01:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Gerlach, Nevada, United States

Coordinates

40.3198, -118.2001

Aircraft

Sparke AIR COMMAND 582 DUAL

Registration

N301CS

Category

Gyrocraft

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gerlach → Gerlach

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

NTSB number

LAX01LA298

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's inability to maintain altitude because of the gyrocopter's inadequatly designed performance capability.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

After turning downwind following takeoff, the gyrocopter lost forward speed and began to descend. It touched down on the left tire, rolled over, and the main rotor blades contacted the ground. The pilot reported there was no mechanical malfunction. He stated the engine and propeller combination was not providing sufficient performance to operate the gyrocopter safely, and he had been modifying it since it was built 2 years previously. This was the second flight of the day after he had shifted the occupant seats to provide better airflow to the propeller.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.