Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ona, Florida 33865
Friday, March 31, 2006 9:20 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During a pleasure flight while flying between 1,000 and 1,100 feet MSL a witness reported initially seeing a normal rate of descent. The descent rate became progressively steeper to the point it became "unsafe diving." The witness did not see any smoke trailing the gyrocopter, nor did he see any parts separate from the gyrocopter in-flight. The nose of the gyrocopter then tucked down, and the descent became vertical. The gyrocopter impacted into open terrain, and was destroyed by impact and a post crash fire. Postaccident examination of the flight controls of the gyrocopter revealed the aft pitch stop bolt was extended approximately 1/2 inch greater than the typical installation. The as-found position of the aft pitch stop bolt would result in only approximately 6 degrees positive main rotor tilt, while the correct setting would result in approximately 18 degree positive main rotor tilt. Fire and impact damage destroyed the cabin and primary structure, and also the engine assembly; therefore, no determination could be made as to whether there was any pre-impact failure or malfunction of the engine, engine accessories, or flight controls.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The in-flight loss of control for undetermined reasons during a normal descent, resulting in an uncontrolled descent, and in-flight collision with terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/31/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 920 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Ona |
| Event State | FLORIDA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 33865 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 272854N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0815507W |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 853 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SRQ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 31 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 22 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 14 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 100 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 13 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.25 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 22155 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Hardee County SD |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 31 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 30 2007 12:18PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Tampa, Florida |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N41964 |
| NTSB Number | MIA06LA077 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | Ground |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Marvin T Eiland |
| Aircraft Model | SparrowHawk |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | H20030008K |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1500 |
| Aircraft Category | Gyrocraft |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 175 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | -- |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | American Autogyro of Crystal River FL LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 10150 W. Pamondeho Circle |
| Aircraft Owner City | Crystal River |
| Aircraft Owner State | FL |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 34428 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Marvin T. Eiland |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| 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? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | KCHN |
| Departure City | Wauchula |
| Departure State | FL |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 910 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | KVNC |
| Destination City | Venice |
| Destination State | FL |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Descent |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Aug 17 2007 2:53PM |
| User who most recently changed record | KENJ |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |