Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Elser Metro Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
North Lima, Ohio 44452
Monday, July 18, 1988 19:30 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
THE GYROPLANE STRUCK A TREE WITH THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL INTO TERRAIN. THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO STRETCH A PARTIAL POWER EMERGENCY DESCENT TO REACH HIS INTENDED TOUCH DOWN POINT. THE PILOT REPORTED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. NO MALFUNCTIONS OR MECHANICAL FAILURES WERE FOUND.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
PILOTS CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY AND ATTEMPTING TO STRETCH HIS PARTIAL POWER DESCENT TO REACH A RUNWAY RATHER THAN LAND OFF AIRPORT.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/18/1988 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1930 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | NORTH LIMA |
| Event State | OHIO |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 44452 |
| 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 | ELSER METRO |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | 4G4 |
| 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 | 1020 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Not pertinent |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1930 |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 210 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | YNG |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1020 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 10 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 4000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 0 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | 0 |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 4 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 280 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 0 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 0 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | 0 |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | FAA |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 2347 |
| NTSB Notification Source | -- |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 18 1988 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1910 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | 39185 |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 13 2000 11:55AM |
| User who most recently changed record | dbo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N9173W |
| NTSB Number | CHI88DEI02 |
| 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 | GEDDES |
| Aircraft Model | COMMANDER 503 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | COMMANDER |
| Aircraft Serial Number | ETG-1 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 650 |
| 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 | Jul 3 1988 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 3 |
| Airframe Hours | 151 |
| ELT Installed | Unknown |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | EDWARD T. GEDDES |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 4865 RACCOON RD. E-45 |
| Aircraft Owner City | AUSTINTOWN |
| Aircraft Owner State | OH |
| Aircraft Owner Country | |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 44515 |
| 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 | 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 | 4G4 |
| Departure City | |
| Departure State | |
| Departure Country | |
| Departure Time | 1826 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | 4G4 |
| Destination City | |
| Destination State | |
| Destination Country | |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent |
| 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 | -- |