Air Command 447 accident near Hearne, Texas, February 17, 1990
On February 17, 1990 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Air Command 447 (gyroplane), an amateur-built aircraft,, registered UNREG, was destroyed in an accident near Hearne, Texas (Hearne Muni airport). It was a personal flight under ultralight rules (Part 103). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S LOSS OF CONTROL FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF TOTAL EXPERIENCE IN THE ACCIDENT MAKE AND MODEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 1990 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hearne, Texas · Hearne Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Command 447, amateur-built
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial 1119
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · ultralight rules (Part 103)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT SHORTLY AFTER TAKING OFF. IT WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST FLIGHT IN THE AIRCRAFT AFTER HE HAD REBUILT IT, HOWEVER, IT HAD BEEN TEST FLOWN BY ANOTHER INDIVIDUAL. THE PILOT HAD ACCUMULATED A TOTAL OF 6.5 HOURS IN GYROPLANES AND RECEIVED AN ENDORSEMENT TO HIS PRIVATE LICENSE. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY REASON FOR THE LOSS OF CONTROL. PILOT WITNESSES, WHO WERE FAMILIAR WITH GYROPLANE OPERATIONS, STATED THAT THE PILOT LOST CONTROL DUE TO 'IMPROPER PILOT TECHNIQUE'.
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: 464 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 384 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T72 at 9:28 pm
- Destination: T72
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from CLL, 27 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 UNREG 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.