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LAX89LA320

1989-09-22 · PALO ALTO, California, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport PAO

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI), WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AS THE GYROPLANE WENT INTO GROUND RESONANCE.

Factual narrative

THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI) REPORTED THAT HIS STUDENT HAD JUST ATTEMPTED A TAKE OFF AT PALO ALTO AIRPORT ON RUNWAY 30. THE STUDENT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL, AND THE GYROPLANE WENT OFF THE RUNWAY ONTO A NEARBY SERVICE ROAD WITHOUT BECOMING AIRBORNE. THE INSTRUCTOR THEN DECIDED TO MAKE THE TAKE OFF HIMSELF FROM THE SERVICE ROAD. HE SAID THAT HE ACCELERATED THE ROTOR SPEED TO 350 RPM BEFORE DEPRESSING THE TAKE OFF BUTTON, & ONCE THE TAKE OFF BUTTON WAS DEPRESSED, THE GYROPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE. REPORTEDLY IT REACHED AN ALTITUDE OF TWO TO THREE FEET, THEN SETTLED BACK TO THE GROUND & ENTERED GROUND RESONANCE. THE INSTRUCTOR SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL, AND THAT THEY WERE THEN 'ALONG FOR THE RIDE.' Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1989_LAX89LA320.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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