Palo Alto Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Palo Alto, California 94303
Friday, September 22, 1989 12:04 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) REPORTED THAT HIS STUDENT HAD JUST ATTEMPTED A TAKE OFF AT PALO ALTO AIRPORT ON RUNWAY 30. THE STUDENT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND THE GYROPLANE WENT OFF THE RUNWAY ONTO A NEARBY SERVICE ROAD WITHOUT BECOMING AIRBORNE. THE INSTRUCTOR THEN DECIDED TO MAKE THE TAKE OFF HIMSELF FROM THE SERVICE ROAD. HE SAID THAT HE ACCELERATED THE ROTOR SPEED TO 350 RPM BEFORE DEPRESSING THE TAKE OFF BUTTON, & ONCE THE TAKE OFF BUTTON WAS DEPRESSED, THE GYROPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE. REPORTEDLY IT REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF TWO TO THREE FEET, THEN SETTLED BACK TO THE GROUND & ENTERED GROUND RESONANCE. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, AND THAT THEY WERE THEN 'ALONG FOR THE RIDE.'

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI), WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AS THE GYROPLANE WENT INTO GROUND RESONANCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/22/1989
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1204
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City PALO ALTO
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 94303
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PALO ALTO
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PAO
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 5
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1322
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 22 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1400
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39615
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:04PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6101S
NTSB Number LAX89LA320
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 18-7
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name PEGASUS ROTORCRAFT
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address F.B. 3704
Operator City SANTA CLARA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95055
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --