Amateur-built COMMANDER ELITE accident near Meriden, Connecticut, November 4, 1987
On November 4, 1987 at about 5:05 pm local time, a amateur-built COMMANDER ELITE (gyroplane), registered N501JL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Meriden, Connecticut (Meriden Arpt 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 FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE HOMEBUILT GYROCOPTER WHILE PREFORMING LOW LEVEL 'FAST TAXI' MANEUVERS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 4, 1987 · about 5:05 pm local time
- Place
- Meriden, Connecticut · Meriden Arpt
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built COMMANDER ELITE COMMANDER
- Registration
- N501JL · no longer on the register · serial 1501
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SEVERAL WITNESSES OBSERVED THE PILOT PERFORMING REPEATED LOW LEVEL 'FAST TAXI' MANEUVERS IN HIS HOMEBUILT GYROCOPTER. THEY STATED THAT THE PILOT HOVER-TAXIED PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY AT AN ESTIMATED 4 TO 5 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. WITNESSES STATED THAT 'HE SEEMED TO BE HAVING TROUBLE...HE WOULD STOP, UNBUCKLE AND EXAMINE THE ROTOR HEAD, MAKE SOME ADJUSTMENTS...GET BACK IN AND TAXI (AGAIN).' DURING THE LAST ATTEMPT TO FAST TAXI, THE GYROCOPTER WAS OBSERVED FLYING AT ABOUT 5 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, 'THEN WENT UP INTO THE AIR APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET, BUT IT WAS VERY ERRATIC...IT THEN DIVED...INTO THE GROUND.' ANOTHER WITNESS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT SWAYED FROM SIDE TO SIDE BEFORE IT 'PLUNGED TOWARDS THE GROUND AND CRASHED.' INSPECTION OF ENGINE AND AIRFRAME DID NOT SHOW ANY EVIDENCE OF A MALFUNCTION.
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
- Flight time: 90 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 55 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax GMBH 3601927 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:46 am from HFD, 17 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.