# NTSB IAD78FKM25: Bensen B8, Salisbury, NC, September 15, 1978

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Closed
- Date: September 15, 1978
- Place: Salisbury, NC · SALISBURY, NC
- Location: 35.6651° N, 80.4919° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Salisbury, NC, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6651&lon=-80.4919&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed, report December 1, 1978
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 139265
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD78FKM25
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD78FKM25

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3250  78/9/15    SALISBURY,NC        BENSEN B8           CR-  1  0  0  MISCELLANEOUS             NO CERTIFICATE, AGE
        TIME - 1130                    NONE                PX-  0  0  0  TEST                      UNK/NR, 0 TOTAL HOURS,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            ALL IN TYPE, NOT
                                                                                                   INSTRUMENT RATED.
        NAME OF AIRPORT - ROWAN COUNTY
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          SALISBURY,NC                LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           PROPELLER/ROTOR FAILURE: MAIN ROTOR                      LANDING: TRAFFIC PATTERN-CIRCLING
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                IN FLIGHT: UNCONTROLLED DESCENT
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           MISCELLANEOUS - UNQUALIFIED PERSON OPERATED AIRCRAFT
        FACTOR(S)
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - SEPARATION IN FLIGHT
        REMARKS- WOODEN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK RUDDER IN STEEP TURN.NO PREVIOUS PLT EXPERIENCE.ACFT NOT CERTIFICATED.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: NONE (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BENSEN B8
- Category: Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Airport: Rowan County

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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