Air & Space 18A N6113S

Summary

On 22 November 1988 at about 02:11 local time, a Air & Space 18A registered N6113S, operated by Rienhard, Joesph, was involved in an accident near Palo Alto, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

22 November 1988 at 02:11

Classification

Accident

Location

Palo Alto, California, United States

Nearest airport

Palo Alto (PAO)

Coordinates

37.4497, -122.0994

Aircraft

Air & Space 18A

Registration

N6113S

Category

Gyrocraft

Engines

1

Operator

Rienhard, Joesph

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Bright

NTSB number

LAX89LA055

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE GYROPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL, DEPARTED THE RWY AND NOSED OVER. THE GYROPLANE TOUCHED DOWN NORMALLY ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR AT AN INDICATED AIRSPEED OF ABOUT 20 MPH. AS THE GYROPLANE SLOWED FURTHER, THE NOSE WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY AND TRACKED THE CENTERLINE FOR ABOUT TEN FEET THEN VEERED TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE GYROPLANE'S GROUND TRACK BY APPLYING THE RIGHT RUDDER AND BRAKE, BUT THE GYROPLANE CONTINUED TO TIGHTEN IN THE LEFT TURN. INSPECTION OF THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY REVEALED A CRACK IN THE NOSE WHEEL SHIMMY DAMPER UPPER PHENOLIC COLLAR. THE CRACK IN THE COLLAR RESULTED IN THE NOSE WHEEL STRUT BECOMING LOCKED AND NOT ALLOWING NOSE WHEEL STEERING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.