Air & Space. 18A accident near Lakeland, Florida, April 13, 2000
On April 13, 2000 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Air & Space. 18A (gyroplane), an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N905AS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeland, Florida (Lakeland-Linder Regional 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 pilot's in-flight loss of control while maneuvering for undetermined reasons resulting in an uncontrolled descent and subsequent in-flight collision with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 2000 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeland, Florida · Lakeland-Linder Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air & Space. 18A, amateur-built
- Registration
- N905AS · no longer on the register · serial 18-9
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses stated the gyroplane jumped into the air about 30 to 50 feet, made a right turn down runway 32 climbing to about 150 to 200 feet, turned right down a cone line (crosswind), leveled the gyroplane and climbed another 100 feet. The gyroplane was observed to make a right turn, level briefly, and begin another right, which continued until the rotor blades were near vertical. The gyroplane slid sideways towards the ground in a high sink rate and collided with terrain. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, and engine assembly and accessories revealed no evidence of a precrash mechanical failure or malfunction. The reason for the in-flight loss of control was not determined.
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: glider; instructor: gyroplane; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 440 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 16, 1999; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAL Lakeland FL at 10:28 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from LAL, 1 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.