- Date
- July 23, 1983, 14:30 local (21:30 UTC)
- Place
- Wenatchee, WA
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N2279CBensen B8M
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830723035149A
- Case key
- 39738
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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
Reportedly, the plt had received 7 hrs of dual instruction in the benson gyrocopter. He had been observed taxiing the acft on an unused portion of the arpt during the winter months of 1982 & 1983. However, no flts were observed & the student plt had no endorsement. On 7/30/83, the acft crashed aprx 1 block from the arpt boundry (presumably during takeoff). Reportedly, he had a loss of perception of forward speed after gaining about 100 ft which resulted in a decay of rotor RPM. Subsequently, the gyrocopt entered a descent & made a hard contact with the ground while in an upright position. No preexisting mechanical problems were found during an exam of the gyrocopter.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2279C
- Reported as
- Bensen B8M
- Category
- Gyroplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 3826
- Engine
- McCulloch 4318A, 72 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Ellery Barnes
- Registered owner
- Fred W. Eschwig
- Airport
- EAT · Pangborn
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
- 40
- Certificate
- Student
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Center
- Flight hours
- 15 total · 15 in this make and model · 8 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 15,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- EAT, 1 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.