CHI88DEI02

1988-07-18 · NORTH LIMA, Ohio, United States · Serious · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 4G4

Aircraft involved

N9173W GEDDES COMMANDER 503 Serious

Probable cause & findings

PILOTS CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY AND ATTEMPTING TO STRETCH HIS PARTIAL POWER DESCENT TO REACH A RUNWAY RATHER THAN LAND OFF AIRPORT.

Factual narrative

THE GYROPLANE STRUCK A TREE WITH THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL INTO TERRAIN. THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO STRETCH A PARTIAL POWER EMERGENCY DESCENT TO REACH HIS INTENDED TOUCH DOWN POINT. THE PILOT REPORTED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. NO MALFUNCTIONS OR MECHANICAL FAILURES WERE FOUND. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1988_CHI88DEI02.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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