Amateur-built B-8M accident near Kennewick, Washington, June 27, 1982
On June 27, 1982 at about 7:20 pm local time, a amateur-built B-8M (gyroplane), registered N5919, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kennewick, Washington (Kennewick 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 1982 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Kennewick, Washington · Kennewick · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built B-8M · all B-8Ms on the register
- Registration
- N5919 · no longer on the register · serial 431250
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS DEMONSTRATING THE GYROCOPTER'S VERTICAL DECENT CAPABILITY AT AN EAA FLY-IN. HE FLEW THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE WIND AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET, REDUCED POWER AND FAILED TO RECOVER FROM THE SINK RATE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 664 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 550 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 193 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 547 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Mcculloch 4318E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: S98 Kennewick WA at 12:18 pm
- Destination: S98 Kennewick WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 3,500 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 158°F (70°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA82DA096.