Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Sheridan, California 95681
Friday, March 20, 2009 15:56 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While in cruise flight, the gyroplane experienced a loss of engine power and the pilot initiated a forced landing onto a highway. After an uneventful landing, the pilot steered the gyroplane off the road to avoid a vehicle, and the gyroplane encountered a ditch and rolled onto its right side. The vertical stabilizer and rudder were bent and wrinkled, and the rotor head was destroyed. Postaccident examination of the engine by the gyroplane's owner revealed no evidence of mechanical failures or malfunctions. The owner stated that the high humidity and the pilot's description of the power loss indicated carburetor icing had occurred. The owner further stated that the gyroplane was equipped with carburetor heat; however, the pilot did not use it. Review of the carburetor ice probability chart revealed that the temperature and dew point at the time of the accident were conducive to icing conditions at cruise power and serious icing conditions at glide power.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A loss of engine power due to carburetor icing as a result of the pilot's failure to use carburetor heat.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/20/2009
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1556
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Sheridan
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95681
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 385904N
Event Location Longitude 1212254W
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 --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1555 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID BAB
Elevation of weather observation facility 113
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 68
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.84
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25746
NTSB Notification Source FAA ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 21 2009 6:01PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N35JB
NTSB Number WPR09LA161
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 BROWN
Aircraft Model BARNETT J4B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 080
Certified Max Gross Weight 1250
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Mar 15 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BARNETT JERRIE K
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City OLIVEHURST
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95961
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name John W. Revenboer
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Castle Rock
Operator State CO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 80104
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MYV
Departure City Marysville
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1540
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code LHM
Destination City Lincoln
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jul 21 2009 6:01PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --