Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rosamond, California 93560
Tuesady, February 4, 1992 14:45 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING A LOCAL AREA FLIGHT THE PILOT WAS OBSERVED CIRCLING OVER A RESIDENTIAL AREA AT A LOW ALTITUDE. THE PILOT INITIATED AN ABRUPT TURNING MANEUVER WHILE CHANGING THE EXPERIMENTAL GYROPLANE'S PITCH ATTITUDE. ROTOR RPM DECREASED AND THE BLADES BEGAN EXCESSIVELY FLAPPING. THE BLADES COLLIDED WITH AND SEVERED THE RUDDER AND PROPELLER. THEREAFTER, THE GYROPLANE NOSED DOWN AND DESCENDED (UNCONTROLLED) INTO A CITY STREET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN MAIN ROTOR RPM ADEQUATE TO AVOID FLAPPING. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE RELATED TO THE PILOT'S PERFORMANCE OF AN EXCESSIVELY ABRUPT MANEUVER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/4/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City ROSAMOND
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93560
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
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) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2131
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46921
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N169RM
NTSB Number LAX92LA109
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name 85 MANISTA
Aircraft Model KB-2
Aircraft Series Identifier KB-2
Aircraft Serial Number L169844
Certified Max Gross Weight 600
Aircraft Category Gyrocraft
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 173
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT R. MANISTA, JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 514 N. 74TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City SCOTTSDALE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85257
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CALVIN C. PETERSON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4120 KNOX AVE.
Operator City ROSAMOND
Operator State CA
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1430
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --