Hudson AVENGER accident near Lansing, IL
On August 15, 1999, a Hudson AVENGER (unknown) was involved in an accident near Lansing, IL. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 15, 1999
- Place
- Lansing, IL
- Aircraft
- Hudson AVENGER · Unknown
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 41.561°N, 87.539°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X19428
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 15, 1999, at 1438 central daylight time, a Hudson Avenger Gyrocopter, N4088X, owned and piloted by a student pilot, was destroyed on impact with a bean field approximately 1,000 feet south of the Lansing Municipal Airport, Lansing, Illinois. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The student pilot and private pilot rated passenger sustained fatal injuries. The local flight was originating at the time of the accident. The vice president of the Greater Midwest Rotorcraft Club reported the following, "On ... August 14th ... [the pilot] requested my assistance at his hanger across from mine at Lansing. [The pilot] has always had an increasing back stick force when flying at higher airspeeds with his gyro. Last year during a 100 mile cross-country flight, [the pilot] complained that the tiresome force was nearly unbearable. [The pilot] flew with a rather large flight instructor once and commented that it was the only time the gyro felt comfortable. Most gyroplanes have a "trim" spring that applies a bias to counteract the "offset gimble" design of the rotorhead; it provides an artificial stability that helicopters lack. [The pilot's] trim springs were located behind the mast and, if used would apply assisted back stick forces. As such they were adjusted slack and inoperative. At a recent rotorcraft convention, an experienced gyro pilot with a two-place gyro suggested [the pilot] try adding ballast when flying solo. He offered that during his airshow
Probable cause
the weight and balance exceeded by the owner/builder. The inadequate preflight planning/preparation by the owner/builder.
More accidents in IL
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Browse: Illinois
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
