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FTW90FA170

1990-08-29 · SHREVEPORT, Louisiana, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SHV

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO FOLLOW PUBLISHED TAKEOFF PROCEDURES.

Factual narrative

THE PIC STATED THAT AT LIFTOFF A SEVERE LATERAL VIBRATION OCCURRED CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE GYROPLANE. WITNESSES REPORTED AN ERRATIC PORPOISING PITCHING MOTION. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 1,500 FEET AFTER CONTROL WAS LOST, WHICH WAS AT THE POINT OF ATTEMPTED LIFTOFF. AS A RESULT OF FLAPPING, TWO OF THE THREE ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE PROPELLER AND RUDDER. ALTHOUGH NOT RECOMMENDED BY THE MANUFACTURER, THE FRONT SEAT WAS OCCUPIED BY A PILOT RATED PASSENGER WITH NO GYROPLANE EXPERIENCE. DURING SUBSEQUENT FLIGHT TESTING, TAKEOFF WAS PERFORMED UNDER SIMILAR CONDITIONS. IMPROPER TECHNIQUES DURING ATTEMPTED LIFTOFF RESULTED IN ERRATIC OSCILLATION AND ROTOR RPM DECAY. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WAS DISCOVERED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_FTW90FA170.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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