Amateur-built BENSON B-8M accident near Sanford, Florida, March 12, 1984
On March 12, 1984 at about 1:15 pm local time, a amateur-built BENSON B-8M (gyroplane), registered N3154A, was destroyed in an accident near Sanford, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- March 12, 1984 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Sanford, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built BENSON B-8M BENSON B-8
- Registration
- N3154A · no longer on the register · serial JAG-1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT & THE PLTS OF 2 OTHER BENSON GYROCOPTERS TOOK OFF FROM A PRIVATE STRIP & PROCEEDED TO FLY IN A LOOSE FORMATION. THE PLTS OF THE OTHER 2 GYROCOPTERS DID NOT WITNESS THE ACCIDENT, BUT NOTICED THAT 1 OF THE 3 WAS MISSING. WITNESSES ON THE GROUND STATED THAT THEY NOTICED THE GYROCOPTER OSCILLATED UP & DOWN AND FORE & AFT PRIOR TO IT IMPACTING WITH TREE TOPS. THE STUDENT PLT WAS NOT INDORSED FOR FLT IN ANY ACFT. HIS WIFE STATED THAT HE HAD RECEIVED INSTRUCTION BY USING A TRAINING DEVICE THAT WAS TOWED BEHIND A VEHICLE. NO SIGNS OR EVIDENCE OF PREEXISTING STRUCTURAL FAILURE WERE NOTED.
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: student
- Flight time: 22 hours in all; 22 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Mcculloch 4318-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Sanford FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 30,000 ft; scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from MCO, 26 miles away
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.