Gremminger 532 COMMANDER N609CE

Summary

On 12 August 2001 at about 00:00 local time, a Gremminger 532 COMMANDER registered N609CE was involved in an accident near Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, 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

12 August 2001 at 00:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

St. Genevieve Flying Club Arpt (6MO2)

Coordinates

37.9710, -90.0394

Aircraft

Gremminger 532 COMMANDER

Registration

N609CE

Category

Gyrocraft

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Ste. Genevieve → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI01LA278

Nobody was injured.

The inadequate fuel supply for the flight which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor associated with the accident was the low altitude and the soft terrain on which the forced landing was made.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The gyrocopter nosed over during a forced landing following a loss of engine power while on downwind to land. The pilot reported he had made several flights during the day which included practicing forced landings. The pilot reported that he took off and stayed in the traffic pattern to land. He reported, "Turning onto the crosswind leg I noted the fuel level indication at one eighth of a tank and decided that this will be my last circuit for the day." The pilot reported he turned onto downwind and leveled off at an altitude of 200 feet above the ground. He reported that after 3 - 5 seconds the engine lost power. The pilot reported that due to the low altitude and the high sink rate, he was committed to an off airport landing. The pilot reported there was a bean field near the downwind leg which contained a barren area. He reported the barren area was wet with an area which looked dry. He made the landing on the section which looked dry. The pilot reported, "As the nose landing gear touched down there was a sensation of the aircraft's nose continuing down below normal ground roll attitude. At this point it became obvious that the aircraft was tipping over forward and to the left." The pilot reported that after the landing he discovered that there was damp mud under a thin layer of dry terrain. The pilot reported that two cups of fuel were drained from the fuel tank following the forced landing.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.