Amateur-built B8M accident near Shelton, Washington, November 9, 1983
On November 9, 1983, a amateur-built B8M (gyroplane), registered N37860, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shelton, Washington. 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
- November 9, 1983
- Place
- Shelton, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built B8M
- Registration
- N37860 · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACRT COLLIDED WITH FIR TREES, ABOUT 18 FEET TALL, DURING AN OFF-ARPT FORCED LANDING AFTER A POWER LOSS. THE PLT SUSPECTED CARBURETOR ICE. HE SAID THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND RPM DROPPED TO ABOUT 1200/1500 RPM. WHEN HE WAS UNABLE TO CLEAR THE TREES DURING THE LANDING HE SLOWED TO 15 KTS AND DESCENDED VERTICALLY INTO THEM. THIS ACFT HAD NO CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL. HEAT IS APPLIED TO THE BASE OF THE CARBURETOR FROM THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. THE DAY AFTER THE ACCIDENT AN A&P MECHANIC FOUND THE ENGINE OPERATION TO BE NORMAL. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE TEMPERATURE WAS 50 DEGREES F AND THE DEW POINT WAS 40 DEGREES F.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: gyroplane
- Flight time: 33 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 21 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 24 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, June 8, 1983; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Volkswagen HBVW 1600 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SHN Shelton WA at 11:55 pm
- Destination: SHN Shelton WA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:25 pm from OLM, 20 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.