New Braunfels Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

New Braunfels, Texas 78130
Tuesady, June 10, 1986 17:30 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT CRASHED OUT OF CONTROL AFTER THE ENG STOPPED DURING A LANDING APPROACH, THE ACFT HAD ALMOST COMPLETED THE 1ST PATTERN AROUND THE FIELD WHEN THE ENG STOPPED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A 1/4 INCH NYLON ROPE WRAPPED AND TIED AROUND THE ROTOR BLADE ABOUT 30 INCHES FROM THE TIP. THIS WAS A PART OF THE ROPE THAT THE PLT HAD USED TO TIE THE ROTOR DOWN WHILE THE ACFT WAS NOT BEING OPERATED. THE ROPE APPEARED TO HAVE SLIPPED DOWN THE BLADE FROM THE HUB AREA.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/10/1986
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1730
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City NEW BRAUNFELS
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 78130
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NEW BRAUNFELS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3R5
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 646
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1730 Central Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID FSS
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation CDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 33
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 778
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 10 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2020
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31122
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N632X
NTSB Number FTW86FRG26
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BENSON
Aircraft Model B-8M
Aircraft Series Identifier B-8M
Aircraft Serial Number JM1
Certified Max Gross Weight 500
Aircraft Category Gyrocraft
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Oct 4 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WINDROW LEE RIGGINS
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 23511
Aircraft Owner City SAN ANTONIO
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 78223
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 3R5
Departure City FNEW BRAUFELS
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --