Kretsinger BENSEN B8M N2436

Summary

On 7 June 2015 at about 21:45 local time, a Kretsinger BENSEN B8M registered N2436, operated by Eldridge U Kretsinger, was involved in an accident near Maple Plain, Minnesota, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 June 2015 at 21:45

Classification

Accident

Location

Maple Plain, Minnesota, United States

Nearest airport

Maple (MN69)

Coordinates

45.0025, -93.6717

Aircraft

Kretsinger BENSEN B8M

Registration

N2436

Category

Gyrocraft

Year built

1970

Engines

1

Operator

Eldridge U Kretsinger

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Maple Plain → Maple Plain

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

GAA15CA109

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed, resulting in a loss of control, and a collision with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that he was making a low pass by the runway and that the gyroplane began settling. He reported that he felt a downdraft from the nearby trees pull the gyroplane down. The pilot reported that he turned down wind to escape the downdraft, he lost lift, and the gyroplane impacted a field sustaining substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.