Pangborn Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wenatchee, Washington 98801
Saturday, July 23, 1983 14:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/23/1983
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City WENATCHEE
Event State WASHINGTON
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 98801
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PANGBORN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID EAT
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 270
Airport Elevation 1245
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1450 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID EAT
Elevation of weather observation facility 1245
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
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) 3200
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1025
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 21333
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 N2279C
NTSB Number SEA83LA158
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 BENSEN
Aircraft Model B8M
Aircraft Series Identifier B8M
Aircraft Serial Number 3826
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FRED W. ESCHWIG
Aircraft Owner Street Address 322 EASY STREET
Aircraft Owner City WENATCHEE
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98801
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ELLERY BARNES
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 351 TERMINAL
Operator City WENATCHEE
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98001
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1418
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Landing
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 --