Air Command 532E accident near Clearwater, Florida, December 31, 1988
On December 31, 1988 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Air Command 532E (gyroplane), an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N70319, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clearwater, Florida (Clearwater Executive airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- December 31, 1988 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Clearwater, Florida · Clearwater Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Command 532E, amateur-built
- Registration
- N70319 · no longer on the register · serial 0459
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT SAID HE DID NOT REMEMBER ANYTHING ABOUT THE ACCIDENT. WITNESSES STATED THAT AT ABOUT 50 FT AGL ON FINAL APPROACH THE GYROCOPTER RAPIDLY DESCENDED. IT REMAINED LEVEL AND HIT HARD, ROLLING OVER ON IMPACT. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING UNTIL IMPACT. THE STUDENT WAS A FORMER MILITARY PILOT.
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: student
- Flight time: 3,200 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 40 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 31, 1988; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 475 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 532 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CLW Clearwater FL at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:47 pm from PIE, 9 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 N70319 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.