Air & Space 18A accident near Palo Alto, California, November 22, 1988
On November 22, 1988 at about 2:11 am local time, a Air & Space 18A (gyroplane), registered N6113S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palo Alto, California (Palo Alto airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 1988 · about 2:11 am local time
- Place
- Palo Alto, California · Palo Alto · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air & Space 18A
- Registration
- N6113S · registry record · serial 18-19
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE GYROPLANE DURING THE LANDING ROLL, DEPARTED THE RWY AND NOSED OVER. THE GYROPLANE TOUCHED DOWN NORMALLY ON THE MAIN LANDING GEAR AT AN INDICATED AIRSPEED OF ABOUT 20 MPH. AS THE GYROPLANE SLOWED FURTHER, THE NOSE WHEEL TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY AND TRACKED THE CENTERLINE FOR ABOUT TEN FEET THEN VEERED TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE GYROPLANE'S GROUND TRACK BY APPLYING THE RIGHT RUDDER AND BRAKE, BUT THE GYROPLANE CONTINUED TO TIGHTEN IN THE LEFT TURN. INSPECTION OF THE NOSE GEAR ASSEMBLY REVEALED A CRACK IN THE NOSE WHEEL SHIMMY DAMPER UPPER PHENOLIC COLLAR. THE CRACK IN THE COLLAR RESULTED IN THE NOSE WHEEL STRUT BECOMING LOCKED AND NOT ALLOWING NOSE WHEEL STEERING.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 920 as pilot in command; 602 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 397 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 18, 1988; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 2,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.