Palmer Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palmer, Alaska 99645
Sunday, July 17, 1988 19:45 AKD

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING LANDING APPROACH AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF DESCENT DEVELOPED VERY NEAR THE RUNWAY. THE GYROPLANE LANDED HARD. AFTER THE HARD LANDING THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE PULLED THE CONTROL COLUMN TO ITS AFT POSITION ABRUPTLY. THE SMALL TAIL WHEEL STRUCK THE RUNWAY SURFACE AND FAILED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/17/1988
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1945
Event Time Zone --
Event City PALMER
Event State ALASKA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 99645
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PALMER MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PAQ
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 232
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1850
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID PAQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 232
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 9000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
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) 421
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 18 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1545
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 36298
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1925
NTSB Number ANC88DAG06
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 ELITE
Aircraft Series Identifier 532 ELITE
Aircraft Serial Number RH 001
Certified Max Gross Weight 651
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 10
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WAYNE M. ROBINSON/TONI R HARSH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1530 WEST 11TH AVE.
Aircraft Owner City ANCHORAGE
Aircraft Owner State AK
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name HARSH, TONI H.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1530 WEST 11TH
Operator City ANCHORAGE
Operator State AK
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 99501
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code PAQ
Departure City PALMER
Departure State AK
Departure Country
Departure Time 1945
Departure Time Zone ADT
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 Oct 10 2002 3:29PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 15
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --