Thompson Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Murrieta, California 92362
Saturday, September 1, 1984 18:03 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A WITNESS OBSERVED THE GYROCOPTER CIRCLE THE APRT. ON THE SECOND TIME AROUND, IT DROPPED DOWN LOW ON THE DOWNWIND LEG AND DISAPPEARED BEHIND A SMALL HILL. HE ALSO STATED THE ENG WAS RUNNING AT FULL POWER AND THAT HE COULD HEAR THE ROTOR BLADES STRIKE THE GROUND WHEN THE GYROCOTER CRASHED. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS SHOWED THAT THE PLT'S BLOOD/ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS 0.110%.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/1/1984
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1803
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City MURRIETA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92362
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport THOMPSON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 30
Airport Elevation 1120
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
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) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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) 3213
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 1 1984 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1715
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27315
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8474
NTSB Number LAX84FUG02
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PHANEUF
Aircraft Model B8 MOD GYRO
Aircraft Series Identifier B8 MOD GYR
Aircraft Serial Number SBP 1000
Certified Max Gross Weight 600
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ARTHUR GALDAMMER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 29915 MIRALOMA APT 26
Aircraft Owner City RANCHO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92390
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 06
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
Departure City MURRIETA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 2682
Runway Width 60
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --