Rome Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Rome, Georgia 30164
Sunday, June 3, 1990 14:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS DEMONSTRATING THE CAPABILITIES OF THE HOME BUILT GYROCOPTER. DURING A FLAT SPIRALING SPIN TO A REASONABLE RECOVERY ALTITUDE MANEUVER, THE MAIN ROTOR OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND. THE PILOT IS A LOW TIME PILOT WITH NO HELICOPTER EXPERIENCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FLAT SPIRALING SPIN MANEUVER AT AN ALTITUDE THAT WAS TOO LOW TO EFFECT A SAFE RECOVERY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/3/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ROME
Event State GEORGIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 30164
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ROME
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RMG
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 644
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1401 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID FTY
Elevation of weather observation facility 644
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 1500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 21
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 172
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40792
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:02PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2173B
NTSB Number ATL90DKG04
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 COMMAND
Aircraft Model 532
Aircraft Series Identifier 532
Aircraft Serial Number 1
Certified Max Gross Weight 700
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 Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jun 3 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 16
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RANDAL STILES
Aircraft Owner Street Address 4740 BROWNSVILLE RD.
Aircraft Owner City POWER SPRINGS
Aircraft Owner State GA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 30073
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 1415
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 10:35AM
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 --