Amateur-built 532 COMMANDER accident near Washburn, Iowa, May 31, 1992
On May 31, 1992 at about 9:00 pm local time, a amateur-built 532 COMMANDER (gyroplane), registered N211CL, was destroyed in an accident near Washburn, Iowa. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE GRYOCOPTER DURING INITIAL CLIMB.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1992 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Washburn, Iowa
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 532 COMMANDER 532 COMMAN
- Registration
- N211CL · registry record · serial RRR-2
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT SAW THE GYROCOPTER PORPOISE SEVERAL TIMES DURING INITIAL CLIMB. THEY SAW THE AIRCRAFT BANK STEEPLY TO THE LEFT UNTIL IT BECAME INVERTED THEN DESCEND INTO THE GROUND. ONE WITNESS WHO ASSISTED THE PILOT IN STARTING THE AIRCRAFT NOTED THE PILOT APPEARED TO BE NERVOUS BEFORE THE FLIGHT. HE ALSO NOTED THE TAKEOFF RUN SEEMED UNUSUALLY LONG. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE SHOWED THE FLIGHT CONTROL CABLES AND HARDWARE TO BE INTACT. NO MECHANICAL DEFECTS WERE DISCOVERED IN THE AIRFRAME OR POWERPLANT.
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 takeoff - initial climb
- IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN/WATER during descent - uncontrolled
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, none, none
- Flight time: 439 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 371 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 3
The aircraft
- Last inspection: type not recorded, May 30, 1992; 1 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 532 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: 8C8 at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: thin overcast at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°C, dew point 34°C
- Altimeter: 30 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from ALO, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CHI92DCD05.