Amateur-built AIR COMMAN accident near Mentone, Indiana, August 5, 2009
On August 5, 2009 at about 6:25 pm local time, a amateur-built AIR COMMAN (gyroplane), registered N8099P, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Mentone, Indiana (Mentone Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing and subsequent impact with a parked aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 5, 2009 · about 6:25 pm local time
- Place
- Mentone, Indiana · Mentone Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AIR COMMAN
- Registration
- N8099P · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The local airport was hosting an annual rotorcraft convention. Prior to the flight, the pilot had participated in the pilot's briefing and had been cleared to fly at the event. After flying to a nearby airport for lunch, the pilot was returning to the airport hosting the convention when the accident occurred. The pilot had entered a left hand traffic pattern for landing on runway 36. The air boss cleared the pilot to land and the pilot noticed "there was a lot of other aircraft activity." The pilot elected to extend his intended landing spot "past the majority of the aircraft... ." The pilot reported that "I hit the runway very hard and bounced on one wheel which veered me to the right in the direction of the east grass beside the runway. I was still going to be OK and continued to try and land. Then I was in the slow speed where the nose wheel is not on the ground yet and you are not able to steer and the rudder is becoming ineffective because of the slow airspeed and forward speed. I saw a [unoccupied] gyro parked close to the edge of the runway and it looked like I would clear it by a small margin. I powered up to put some airflow across the rudder in effort to steer clear of the gyro. I thought I had it made and then our rotors impacted and locked together. It flipped me over and dragged [the] gyro with mine." Examination of the accident gyrocraft revealed the main rotor blades were destroyed. No mechanical anomalies were noted with the accident gyrocraft.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during landing defining event
- Runway excursion during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,282 hours in all; 84 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,090 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 9, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 90 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 8, 2009
- Maximum gross weight: 623 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RCR Rochester IN
- Destination: C92 Mentone IN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,521 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.