Dunnellon Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Dunnellon, Florida 32630
Saturday, November 9, 1985 12:30 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE INSTRUCTOR PLT WHO WAS NOT RATED IN HELICOPTERS OR GYROPLANES AND HAD AN EXPIRED INSTRUCTORS CERTIFICATE WAS IMPARTING INSTRUCTION TO A STUDENT PLT IN A 2 PLACE HOMEBUILT GYROCOPTER. WHEN ON DOWNWIND TURN TO BASE LEG THE STUDENT TIPPED THE ROTOR DISC FORWARD AND THE ROTOR RPM DECAYED. THE ROTOR THEN WAS OBSERVED TO STRIKE THE RUDDER AND IT FAILED. THE ACFT THEN WAS OBSERVED TO FALL IN UNCONTROLLED FLT TO THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/9/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City DUNNELLON
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 32630
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport DUNNELLON MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID X35
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 66
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1250 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID GNV
Elevation of weather observation facility 85
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 46
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2300
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 9 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1401
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29752
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N54WP
NTSB Number MIA86FA027
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 PARSONS
Aircraft Model B/P GYROCOPTER
Aircraft Series Identifier B/P GYROCO
Aircraft Serial Number 128
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 9 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 85
Airframe Hours 85
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAMS PARSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 532
Aircraft Owner City LAKE MONROE
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32747
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code X35
Departure City DUNNELLON
Departure State FL
Departure Country
Departure Time 1215
Departure Time Zone EST
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 Descent
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 5
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --