Amateur-built AIR COMMAND 532 accident near Dumas, Texas, August 29, 1992
On August 29, 1992 at about 4:10 pm local time, a amateur-built AIR COMMAND 532 (gyroplane), registered N700TB, was destroyed in an accident near Dumas, Texas (Dumas Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91, subpart F). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED. A FACTOR WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1992 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Dumas, Texas · Dumas Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AIR COMMAND 532 AIR COMMAN
- Registration
- N700TB · no longer on the register · serial 532
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91, subpart F)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PRIVATE PILOT WAS FLYING HIS RECENTLY PURCHASED GYROCOPTER IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. A WITNESS REPORTED HEARING A POWER REDUCTION WHILE THE GYROCOPTER WAS ON A HIGH DOWNWIND. AIRSPEED WAS NOT MAINTAINED AND THE ROTOR RPM DECAYED TO THE POINT WHERE THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN AS THE GYROCOPTER ROLLED TO THE LEFT IN AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT TO THE GROUND. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 6600 FEET.
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: 1,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Bombardier ROTAX (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DUX at 4:05 pm
- Destination: DUX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,473 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from DHT, 35 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.