- Date
- May 12, 1993, 17:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Amarillo, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N42845Elliott B-80
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 25, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930512013319A
- Case key
- 18745
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
The pilot's failure to compensate for wind conditions. Factors were the loss of engine power and the tailwind
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
During a departure from a local airfield the engine lost power and the pilot executed a forced landing. During the forced landing the pilot attempted to return to the runway environment. The pilot positioned the aircraft for landing with a 22 knot tailwind that was gusting to 28 knots. During the post accident investigation the throttle cable was found to have failed at the throttle arm. The failed cable caused the engine to go to an idle condition
Factual narrative
On May 12, 1993, at 1730 central daylight time (CDT) an Elliott B 80, N42845, was destroyed on ground impact, following a forced landing. The airline transport rated pilot, also the owner, was not injured. Weather for the local area flight was visual meteorological conditions.
The pilot reported on the enclosed report and during an interview with a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, that during his initial climb on a down wind leg the engine lost power. He further reported that he executed a forced landing and attempted to return to the runway. During the attempt to return to a runway environment the pilot positioned his aircraft for landing with a tailwind of 20 knots, with gusts to 28.
An examination of the aircraft revealed that the throttle cable had disconnected from the throttle arm. Design specifications revealed that the engine would go to an idle situation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N42845
- Reported as
- Elliott B-80
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 1
- Airframe hours
- 75
- Engine
- Subaru, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Benningfield, Johnnie L.
- Registered owner
- Benningfield, Johnnie L.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 18, 1993 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- TDW
- Destination
- TDW
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
- 50
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 2,000 total · 75 in this make and model · 1,850 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 22 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.