Coen BENSON B8 UNREG

Summary

On 3 September 1993 at about 23:27 local time, a Coen BENSON B8 registered UNREG was involved in an accident near Aurora, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 September 1993 at 23:27

Classification

Accident

Location

Aurora, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

39.6297, -104.7798

Aircraft

Coen BENSON B8

Registration

UNREG

Category

Gyrocraft

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Watkins → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW93LA272

1 person died.

FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE CENTER ENGINE MOUNT THAT ALTERED THE THRUST AND LIFT VECTORS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE AIRCRAFT WAS SEEN FLYING BETWEEN 300 AND 400 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WHEN, ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, IT SUDDENLY 'ROLLED RIGHT, NEARLY INVERTED, AND DESCENDED APPROXIMATELY 80 DEGREES NOSE DOWN.' SEVERAL DEEP GOUGES AND A SCRAPE MARK WERE NOTED ATOP THE ENGINE CRANKCASE, DIRECTLY BENEATH THE CENTER ENGINE MOUNTING BOLT. THE ENGINE MOUNT WAS FRACTURED. THIS FRACTURE, ACCORDING TO A METALLURGIST, WAS DUE TO FATIGUE. THE REMAINING FRACTURES WERE DUE TO OVERLOAD. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FLIGHT CONTROL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.