Amateur-built B8M accident near Sandwich, Illinois, October 5, 1982
On October 5, 1982 at about 10:45 pm local time, a amateur-built B8M (gyroplane), registered N26063, was destroyed in an accident near Sandwich, Illinois (Sandwich airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- October 5, 1982 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Sandwich, Illinois · Sandwich
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built B8M
- Registration
- N26063 · no longer on the register · serial 9176
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING FLOWN BY A PERSON WITH NO PILOT RATING AND NO STUDENT OR MEDICAL CERTIFICATE. AFTER TAKEOFF, HE CIRCLED THE AIRPORT AND FLEW OVER THE EDGE OF A LAKE. REPORTEDLY, THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER WHILE HE WAS ABOUT 300 FT ABOVE THE SURFACE. THE NON-RATED PILOT MADE AN AUTORATIVE LANDING IN THE WATER WHEN HE WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE TO LAND. NO PRE-ACCIDENT FAILURE OF THE AIRCRAFT OR ENGINE WAS FOUND. NO WATER WAS FOUND IN THE STORAGE TANK.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 85 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Mccullough 01001 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3HA Sandwich IL
- Destination: 3HA Sandwich IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 018° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
Other NTSB records under N26063 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.