Amateur-built B8M accident near Ashland, Kentucky, July 30, 1982
On July 30, 1982 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built B8M (gyroplane), registered N37630, was destroyed in an accident near Ashland, Kentucky (Ashland-Boyd County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 1982 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ashland, Kentucky · Ashland-Boyd County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built B8M
- Registration
- N37630 · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD A PRIVATE LICENSE WITH A SINGLE ENGINE LAND RATING, BUT ONLY HAD ABOUT 1 HR OF PREVIOUS FLIGHT TIME IN THE BENSEN GYROCOPTER. THE OWNER STATED THAT HE TOLD THE PILOT NOT TO CLIMB ABOVE 5 TO 6 FT. THE OWNER ALSO STATED THAT THE PILOT TOLD HIM HE HAD READ "FLYING INSTRUCTIONS - FUNDAMENTALS OF GYROCOPTER FLIGHT" WHICH REQUIRES AT LEAST 50 TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS NEVER EXCEEDING 1 TO 2 FT AGL. THE PILOT TOOK OFF ON A PARALLEL TAXIWAY, FLEW STRAIGHT AND LEVEL AT LOW ALTITUDE UNTIL MIDWAY DOWN THE TAXIWAY, THEN CLIMBED TO ABOUT 100 FT. AS HE APPROACHED THE END OF THE TAXIWAY, THE PILOT BEGAN A RAPID POWERED DESCENT FOLLOWED BY A DESCENDING LEFT TURN. THE GYROCOPTER TOUCHED DOWN AT A RELATIVELY HIGH GROUND SPEED, SWERVED 2 OR 3 TIMES, AND TIPPED OVER. THE PILOT CLAIMED THAT HE WAS COERCED INTO FLYING THE GYROCOPTER WITHOUT ADEQUATE INSTRUCTION.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 505 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 69 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Mcculloch O-100-1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 128 Ashland KY at 2:00 pm
- Destination: 128 Ashland KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 5,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 176°F (80°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.