Martel Air Command 532Elite accident near Highgate, VT
On June 26, 2005, a Martel Air Command 532Elite (gyroplane) was involved in an accident near Highgate, VT. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- June 26, 2005
- Place
- Highgate, VT
- Aircraft
- Martel Air Command 532Elite · Gyroplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 44.940°N, 73.083°W
- NTSB ID
- 20050811X01211
NTSB summary
On June 26, 2005, about 1300 eastern daylight time, an amateur-built, unregistered Air Command 532 Elite gyroplane was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain in Highgate, Vermont. The certificated private pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local flight, which originated at Franklin County State Airport (FSO), Highgate, Vermont. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to a Vermont State Police report, the pilot's daughter stated that he had purchased the gyroplane (used) about 2 weeks before the accident. As far as she knew, the pilot assembled it himself, and was thinking about modifying it, but had not done so by the time of the accident. She also noted that the pilot was not taking any lessons, and that he was learning to fly it on his own. Another pilot confirmed with police that the accident pilot had purchased the gyroplane about 2 weeks previously. On June 24, 2006, the accident pilot performed touch and go landings, or "crow hops," along the runway, and on the day before the accident, the accident pilot flew the gyroplane for the first time. On the day of the accident, a local sheriff was at the airport when he observed the gyroplane, about 800 feet in the air, with "some type of mechanical failure." He then saw the gyroplane "go straight down into [a] heavily wooded area." Another witness saw the gyroplane take off, and about 500 feet, the "the blade folded," and the gyroplane "went down." A third witness noticed "the propeller not working," befo
Probable cause
The pilot's improper cyclic input, which resulted in a retreating rotor blade stall, and its subsequent impact with the propeller. Also causal, was the pilot's failure to acquire proper training. A factor was the pilot's decision not to have a stability upgrade kit installed prior to flying the gyroplane.
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Browse: Vermont
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
