Air & Space 18-A accident near Paducah, Kentucky, April 27, 1993
On April 27, 1993 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Air & Space 18-A (gyroplane), registered N6126S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Paducah, Kentucky (Farrington Airpark airport). It was an instructional 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
THE INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR RESULTING IN A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WHILE CONDUCTING A SIMULATED EMERGENCY, AND THE SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN DURING A ROLL OVER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 27, 1993 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Paducah, Kentucky · Farrington Airpark · 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
- N6126S · registry record · serial 18-32
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR WAS CONDUCTING A COMMERCIAL PILOT FLIGHT CHECK IN THE GYROPLANE. THE MANEUVER INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT WAS AN ABORT AFTER 'LIFTOFF AT LOW AIRSPEED AND HIGH ANGLE OF ATTACK.' THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT SAID, 'A LIFT-OFF WAS EXECUTED AT TOO LOW [AN] AIRSPEED, THE ABORT WAS DELAYED BECAUSE RUNWAY ALIGNMENT WAS LOST, AND THE NOSE STRUT GAVE WAY AFTER SOFT DIRT WAS ENCOUNTERED AFTER LEAVING THE ASPHALT.' THE GYROPLANE ROLLED OVER ON THE 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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: gyroplane; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days; 6,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 274 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 10, 1993; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Farrington Aircraft, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 2,915 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N6126S 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.