Sutter Co. Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yuba City, California 95992
Thursday, July 24, 1986 17:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE LANDING ACCIDENT OCCURRED AFTER THE PILOT HAD MADE HIGH SPEED TAXI TESTS ALONG THE RUNWAY WITH THREE LIFTOFFS. AFTER THE THIRD LIFTOFF, THE PILOT SAID THAT HE FOUND HIMSELF TOO HIGH. HE STATED THAT HE REDUCED POWER AND PUSHED FORWARD ON THE CONTROL STICK. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND ON THE NOSE WHEEL, WHICH COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. ALTHOUGH THE PILOT HELD A PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE WITH AN AIRPLANE SINGLE-ENGINE LAND RATING, THIS WAS HIS FIRST FLIGHT IN A GYROPLANE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/24/1986
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City YUBA CITY
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95992
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SUTTER CO.
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 052
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 58
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
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) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 11
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency FAA
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1345
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 24 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1855
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31737
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N504P
NTSB Number LAX86FVG06
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AMATEUR BUILT
Aircraft Model BARNETT J3
Aircraft Series Identifier BARNETT J3
Aircraft Serial Number OU812
Certified Max Gross Weight 650
Aircraft Category Gyrocraft
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jul 18 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 4
Airframe Hours 4
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PETER A. SETO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3908 2ND AVE.
Aircraft Owner City SACRAMENTO
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95817
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1700
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 9 2002 10:48AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17
Runway Length 3040
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --