Air & Space 18-A accident near Brandon, Florida, March 12, 1990
On March 12, 1990 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Air & Space 18-A (gyroplane), registered N6158S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brandon, Florida (Brandon airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: WIRE(S) NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 1990 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Brandon, Florida · Brandon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air & Space 18-A
- Registration
- N6158S · no longer on the register · serial 18-69
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE GYROPLANE PILOT HAD JUST MADE A JUMP TAKEOFF & HAD ONLY 20 KTS, WHEN SHE SAW WIRES AHEAD. SHE INITIATED A STEEP TURN AT A LOW ALTITUDE AND THE GYROPLANE LOST ALTITUDE. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT TOUCHED DOWN ON UNEVEN TERRAIN & ROLLED OVER ON ITS LEFT SIDE.
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 214 hours in all; 198 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 129 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 379 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 9, 1989; 194 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X18 at 7:29 pm
- Destination: X181
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,335 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from TPA, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.