Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Shreveport, Louisiana 71100
Wednesday, August 29, 1990 14:50 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PIC STATED THAT AT LIFTOFF A SEVERE LATERAL VIBRATION OCCURRED CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE GYROPLANE. WITNESSES REPORTED AN ERRATIC PORPOISING PITCHING MOTION. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 1,500 FEET AFTER CONTROL WAS LOST, WHICH WAS AT THE POINT OF ATTEMPTED LIFTOFF. AS A RESULT OF FLAPPING, TWO OF THE THREE ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE PROPELLER AND RUDDER. ALTHOUGH NOT RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER, THE FRONT SEAT WAS OCCUPIED BY A PILOT RATED PASSENGER WITH NO GYROPLANE EXPERIENCE. DURING SUBSEQUENT FLIGHT TESTING, TAKEOFF WAS PERFORMED UNDER SIMILAR CONDITIONS. IMPROPER TECHNIQUES DURING ATTEMPTED LIFTOFF RESULTED IN ERRATIC OSCILLATION AND ROTOR RPM DECAY. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS DISCOVERED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO FOLLOW PUBLISHED TAKEOFF PROCEDURES.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/29/1990
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1450
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City SHREVEPORT
Event State LOUISIANA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 71100
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SHV
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 258
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 1455 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 300
Weather Observation Facility ID SHV
Elevation of weather observation facility 258
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 5500
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 36
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
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) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 2700
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) 1112
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 29 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42331
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6132S
NTSB Number FTW90FA170
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 18A
Aircraft Series Identifier 18A
Aircraft Serial Number 18-39
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 2 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 2
Airframe Hours 1004
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CAN-AM CAPITAL, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 414
Aircraft Owner City VILLE PLATTE
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70586
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FAA (BTR FSDO)
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 9191 PLANK RD
Operator City BATON ROUGE
Operator State LA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 70811
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SHV
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1440
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 Takeoff
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 23
Runway Length 6200
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --