Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hixson, Tennessee 37343
Friday, October 14, 1988 18:17 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES OBSERVED THE GYROCOPTER OSCILLATING IN THE PITCH AXIS AS IT PASSED OVERHEAD IN CRUISE FLIGHT. A 'WHITE OR SHINY' OBJECT DEPARTED THE GYROCOPTER. THE AIRCRAFT THEN ROLLED RIGHT, DESCENDED AND COLLIDED WITH THE TREES AND GROUND, INVERTED. ONE PROPELLER BLADE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND WAS FOUND 520 FEET FROM THE CRASH SITE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE SEPARATED PROPELLER BLADE AND ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE HAD COLLIDED INFLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/14/1988
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1817
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City HIXSON
Event State TENNESSEE
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 37343
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 10
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 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -18
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2049
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 17 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38420
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:12PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N169WC
NTSB Number ATL89DLT01
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 CAMERON
Aircraft Model AIR COMMAND
Aircraft Series Identifier AIR COMMAN
Aircraft Serial Number 1 WC
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WINDEL A CAMERON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7317 EDGE FIELD
Aircraft Owner City CHATTANOOGA
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 37421
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WINDEL A. CAMERON
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7317 EDGEFIELD
Operator City CHATTANOOGA
Operator State TN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 37421
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 No
Departure Airport Code IAO
Departure City CHATTANOOGA
Departure State TN
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --