Air Command 532 accident near Rome, Georgia, June 3, 1990
On June 3, 1990 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Air Command 532 (gyroplane), an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N2173B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rome, Georgia (Rome airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FLAT SPIRALING SPIN MANEUVER AT AN ALTITUDE THAT WAS TOO LOW TO EFFECT A SAFE RECOVERY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 3, 1990 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rome, Georgia · Rome · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Command 532, amateur-built
- Registration
- N2173B · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS DEMONSTRATING THE CAPABILITIES OF THE HOME BUILT GYROCOPTER. DURING A FLAT SPIRALING SPIN TO A REASONABLE RECOVERY ALTITUDE MANEUVER, THE MAIN ROTOR OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK THE GROUND. THE PILOT IS A LOW TIME PILOT WITH NO HELICOPTER EXPERIENCE.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 208 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 186 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 3, 1990; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 700 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 532 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:01 pm from FTY, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N2173B the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.