- Date
- November 10, 1993, 17:53 local (21:53 UTC)
- Place
- Cowpens, SC
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N10343Bowermaster B-8M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19931110042569A
- Case key
- 3321
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Fuel starvation which resulted from unported fuel in the fuel tank due to inadequate design of the tanks.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
On final approach, the gyroplane lost power and the pilot force landed the aircraft in trees short of the landing area. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of mechanical failure. Fuel was found in the tank and fuel system after the accident. The owner of the aircraft stated that the tanks were susceptible to fuel sloshing and that this may cause fuel starvation.
Factual narrative
On November 10, 1993, at 1753 eastern daylight time, a Brady C. Bowermaster B-8M, N10343 was substantially damaged following a collision with terrain near Cowpens, South Carolina. The private pilot received serious injuries in the accident. The aircraft was being operated under 14 CFR Part 91 by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions existed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed for the local personal flight.
Witnesses reported that they observed the aircraft maneuvering around the airport. The pilot reported that the engine lost power while approaching for landing and that he autoratated and force landed the aircraft in forest terrain. The aircraft struck a group of trees near the side of the runway at the private sod airfield and crashed into the terrain. Post accident examination of the gyroplane revealed no evidence of mechanical failure of the engine. Fuel was found in the fuel tank and fuel system after the accident. The owner of the aircraft stated that the fuel tanks were susceptible to fuel sloshing and that it may cause momentary fuel starvation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N10343
- Reported as
- Bowermaster B-8M
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- BCB-232
- Engine
- McCulloch O-100-1, 72 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Gallman, Leonard W. Sr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Airport
- NONE · Private, runway 5, 1,900 × 100 ft, grass/turf
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 32
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,209 total · 1,135 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 129° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 52 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- GSP, 20 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.