Amateur-built Dominator accident near Laconia, New Hampshire, June 16, 2001
On June 16, 2001 at about 3:30 pm local time, a amateur-built Dominator (gyroplane), registered UNREG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laconia, New Hampshire (Laconia Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The non-certificated pilot's inability to maintain control of the gyrocopter after inadvertently allowing it to become airborne. A factor was the pilot's lack of flight experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 2001 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Laconia, New Hampshire · Laconia Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Dominator
- Registration
- UNREG · no longer on the register · serial None
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-certificated pilot had recently purchased the gyrocopter; however, he had not accumulated any flight experience in it. On the day of the accident, the pilot performed several high speed taxi tests to "get a feel for the flight controls." He performed the tests on a closed runway, and during the last test, the gyrocopter inadvertently became airborne. While the pilot was attempting to land the gyrocopter, it rolled sideways and impacted trees, coming to rest on the bank of a swamp. Examination of the gyrocopter revealed no mechanical deficiencies.
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
- Flight time: 0 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 620 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 UL-DCDI (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LCI Laconia NH at 3:30 pm
- Destination: LCI Laconia NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 pm from CON, 22 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.