Amateur-built 1 accident near Liberty, Missouri, April 21, 1989
On April 21, 1989 at about 7:30 pm local time, a amateur-built 1 (gyroplane), registered N59GH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Liberty, Missouri (Liberty Landing 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
PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON. THE SOFT TERRAIN (PLOWED FIELD) WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 1989 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Liberty, Missouri · Liberty Landing · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 1
- Registration
- N59GH · no longer on the register · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT SAID THAT, WHILE PRACTICING TAKEOFFS AND LNDGS, THERE WAS A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENG POWER DURING THE 3RD TAKEOFF. SUBSEQUENTLY, AN EMERG LNDG WAS MADE IN A PLOWED FIELD & THE GYROPLANE WAS DAMAGED WHEN THE ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE PUSHER PROP. THE WIND WAS RPRTD TO BE FROM 180 DEG AT 20 GUSTING 25 KTS & THE RPRTD TEMP WAS 85 DEG. NO SPECIFIC REASON WAS FOUND FOR THE POWER LOSS; THE PILOT HAD JUST INSTALLED THE ENG & IT HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 1/2 HR OF OPNL TIME.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 186 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 120 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 560 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4MO4 Liberty MO at 7:29 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 1,800 ft by 20 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 20 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°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.
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.