Amateur-built COMMANDER 503 accident near North Lima, Ohio, July 18, 1988
On July 18, 1988 at about 11:30 pm local time, a amateur-built COMMANDER 503 (gyroplane), registered N9173W, was substantially damaged in an accident near North Lima, Ohio (Elser Metro airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOTS CONTINUED OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY AND ATTEMPTING TO STRETCH HIS PARTIAL POWER DESCENT TO REACH A RUNWAY RATHER THAN LAND OFF AIRPORT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 1988 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- North Lima, Ohio · Elser Metro · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built COMMANDER 503 COMMANDER
- Registration
- N9173W · no longer on the register · serial ETG-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GYROPLANE STRUCK A TREE WITH THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL INTO TERRAIN. THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO STRETCH A PARTIAL POWER EMERGENCY DESCENT TO REACH HIS INTENDED TOUCH DOWN POINT. THE PILOT REPORTED A PARTIAL POWER LOSS. NO MALFUNCTIONS OR MECHANICAL FAILURES WERE FOUND.
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: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,300 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 2,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 151 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, July 3, 1988; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 650 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4G4 at 10:26 pm
- Destination: 4G4
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:30 pm from YNG, 10 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.
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.