Farrington Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Paducah, Kentucky 42003
Tuesady, April 27, 1993 16:05 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUCTOR WAS CONDUCTING A COMMERCIAL PILOT FLIGHT CHECK IN THE GYROPLANE. THE MANEUVER INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT WAS AN ABORT AFTER 'LIFTOFF AT LOW AIRSPEED AND HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK.' THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT SAID, 'A LIFT-OFF WAS EXECUTED AT TOO LOW [AN] AIRSPEED, THE ABORT WAS DELAYED BECAUSE RUNWAY ALIGNMENT WAS LOST, AND THE NOSE STRUT GAVE WAY AFTER SOFT DIRT WAS ENCOUNTERED AFTER LEAVING THE ASPHALT.' THE GYROPLANE ROLLED OVER ON THE SIDE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RESULTING IN A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHILE CONDUCTING A SIMULATED EMERGENCY, AND THE SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN DURING A ROLL OVER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/27/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1605
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City PADUCAH
Event State KENTUCKY
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 42003
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport FARRINGTON AIRPARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KY29
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 340
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 286
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 20 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 915
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 52283
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:15PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6126S
NTSB Number NYC93LA096
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AIR & SPACE
Aircraft Model 18-A
Aircraft Series Identifier 18-A
Aircraft Serial Number 18-32
Certified Max Gross Weight 1800
Aircraft Category Gyrocraft
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 10 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 274
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FARRINGTON AIRCRAFT, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4460 SHEWWELL LANE
Aircraft Owner City PADUCAH
Aircraft Owner State KY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 42003
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FARRINGTON AIRCRAFT, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1605
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 2915
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --