Farrington 18A accident near Long Beach, California, May 17, 1991
On May 17, 1991, a Farrington 18A (gyroplane), registered N6126S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Long Beach, California (Long Beach 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
GROUND RESONANCE REMEDIAL ACTION NOT PERFORMED BY THE PILOT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 17, 1991
- Place
- Long Beach, California · Long Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Farrington 18A
- Registration
- N6126S · registry record · serial 18-32
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED ATP PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD COMPLETED A NORMAL CHECKLIST. HE STATED THERE WAS A NORMAL SPIN UP ON THE RUNWAY AND ROTOR RPM WAS ATTAINED WITH NO SIGN OF GROUND RESONANCE. EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL ON TAKEOFF RUN TO 30 KNOTS. AT 31 KNOTS THE PILOT PROCEEDED TO PREPOSITION STICK TO THE LEFT AND PUSH LIFT BUTTON. THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED VIOLENT GROUND RESONANCE SIMULTANEOUSLY AT LIFT OFF. GYROPLANE CONTINUED SHAKING VIOLENTLY AND SWERVED TO THE LEFT COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND. THE PILOT STATED TO THE FAA HE WAS UNSURE WHETHER OR NOT HE HAD ACTUALLY PRESSED THE ENGAGE SWITCH OR THAT HE HAD BECOME AIRBORNE.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 8,000 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LGB Long Beach CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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 N6126S 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.