Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Willits, California 95490
Saturday, June 11, 1994 8:31 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, A WITNESS HEARD THE ENGINE QUIT AND THEN OBSERVED SMOKE AND A LARGE FIRE OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. DURING THE RESCUE, THE PILOT TOLD THIS WITNESS THAT HE 'COULDN'T GET THE ROTOR BLADE UP.' EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE FOUND NOTHING THAT WOULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. HOWEVER, THE NO.3 CYLINDER WAS FOUND TO A 3-INCH CRACK THAT WAS ATTRIBUTED TO THE POSTCRASH FIRE. SUPPORTING THIS WAS THE ABSENCE OF EXHAUST SOOT OR OIL STAINS IN THE CRACKED AREA NORMALLY FOUND WITH A CYLINDER THAT FAILED IN FLIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

a loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/11/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 831
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City WILLITS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95490
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 855
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID UKI
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1420
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 11 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 909
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:29AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N22GR
NTSB Number LAX94LA246
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name McCulloch
Aircraft Model J-2
Aircraft Series Identifier J-2
Aircraft Serial Number 28
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Gyrocraft
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 3 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 265
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GERALD R. REDMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1416 DAPHNE DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City WILLITS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95490
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name REDMAN, GERALD R.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1416 DAPHNE DRIVE
Operator City WILLITS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95490
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code O28
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 830
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code O51
Destination City LINCOLN
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --