Air Command 532 UNREG

Summary

On 10 July 2014 at about 21:30 local time, a Air Command 532 registered UNREG was involved in an accident near Petersburg, Michigan, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 July 2014 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Petersburg, Michigan, United States

Nearest airport

Lada Airport (7MI5)

Coordinates

41.8875, -83.6767

Aircraft

Air Command 532

Registration

UNREG

Category

Gyrocraft

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Petersburg → Petersburg

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14LA371

1 person died.

The noncertificated pilot’s failure to maintain control of the gyroplane following a total loss of engine power due to a loose spark plug.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot, who had an expired student pilot certificate, was conducting a personal local area flight in the unregistered amateur-built gyroplane. An acquaintance of the pilot reported that the pilot had arrived at the departure airport with the gyroplane on a trailer; however, the pilot did not mention that he intended to fly that evening. There were no witnesses to the accident flight. The gyroplane wreckage was discovered the following morning in a potato field about 1/4 mile east of the departure airport. A postaccident examination of the gyroplane did not reveal any airframe or flight control anomalies that would have prevented normal operation. One of the main rotor blades had separated from the mast hub assembly; however, the observed damage to the rotor blade was consistent with ground impact. Examination of the two-cylinder, two-stroke, engine revealed that the forward spark plug was loose and could be removed by hand. No additional preimpact anomalies were noted with the engine that would have prevented its normal operation. It is likely that the loose spark plug resulted in a loss of cylinder compression and a total loss of engine power. During the subsequent forced landing, the gyroplane impacted terrain and tumbled about 30 ft. The wreckage debris path was consistent with an uncontrolled collision with terrain. A review of aircraft registry records established that the amateur-built gyroplane did not have an airworthiness certificate or registration number. Further, there was no maintenance documentation for the gyroplane. The pilot did not possess a valid pilot certificate; his student certificate had been expired for more than 9 years. Additionally, a pilot logbook was not located during the investigation, which precluded a review of the pilot's recent flight experience and total time in the accident gyroplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.