# NTSB WPR09LA161: Brown Barnett J4B, N35JB, Sheridan, CA, March 20, 2009 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 20, 2009, 15:56 local (22:56 UTC) - Place: Sheridan, CA - Coordinates: 38.984443, -121.381668 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9844&lon=-121.3817&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Fuel related](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 10, 2009 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 73537 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR09LA161 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/73537/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73537 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA161 ## Probable cause A loss of engine power due to carburetor icing as a result of the pilot's failure to use carburetor heat. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Temp/humidity/pressure: conducive to carburetor icing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03031030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Effect on equipment (probable cause) - [Engine controls](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057600): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Not used/operated (probable cause) - [Terrain: rough terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021015): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Contributed to outcome - [Use of equip/info: use of equip/system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063015): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause) ## Analysis 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. ## Factual narrative On March 20, 2009, about 1556 Pacific daylight time, an amateur-built experimental Barnett J4B gyroplane, N35JB, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Sheridan, California. The airline transport pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The gyroplane was registered to an individual and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local personal flight conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The flight departed from Marysville, California, about 1540, en route to Lincoln, California. The owner of the gyroplane reported that while en route to Lincoln, the engine experienced a loss of power and the pilot initiated a forced landing onto a highway. After an uneventful landing, the pilot steered the gyroplane off the side of the road to avoid a vehicle. The gyroplane encountered a ditch and rolled onto its right side. Examination of photos revealed that the vertical stabilizer and rudder were bent and wrinkled, and the rotor head was destroyed. Post-accident examination of the engine by the owner revealed no evidence of mechanical failures or malfunctions with the engine and its components. The owner stated that the high humidity weather condition and the pilot's description of the power loss indicated carburetor icing had occurred. The owner further stated the gyroplane was equipped with carburetor heat; however, the pilot did not use it. At 1555, the nearest weather reporting station at Beale Air Force Base, located about 10 statute miles north of the accident site, reported that the temperature was 74 degrees Fahrenheit and the dew point was 51 degrees Fahrenheit. Plotting these values on a carburetor ice probability chart indicated that the conditions were conducive to icing conditions at cruise power and serious icing conditions at glide power. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Fuel related](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/190) (defining event) - [Enroute: Loss of engine power (total)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/341) - [Landing: Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440) - [Landing-landing roll: Roll over](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/097) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N35JB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N35JB-2015-05-20), registration cancelled 2015-05-20, S/N 080 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BROWN BARNETT J4B - Registry model: [Brown BARNETT J4B](https://openairdocs.org/model/brown-barnett-j4b) (registry code 1302736) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental 0-200 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-0-200-series) (registry code 17020, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter, amateur-built - Serial number: 080 - Engines: Lycoming O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, March 15, 2009 - Departed: MYV, Marysville, CA - Destination: LHM, Lincoln, CA ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; private, commercial, airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; last flight review March 31, 2007; flight hours: 14,000 total, 250 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 230° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 154 °F - Altimeter: 29.84 inHg - Observed at: BAB, 10 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20090320003689A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090320003689A), Mar 20, 2009: Piper J4B, Sheridan, CA, Minor damage, 1 fatal. (-23) Pilot reported engine quit running on flight from myv to lhm. Made forced landing on highway 65 north of lincoln, CA. While avoiding cars on highway,… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 21, 2009, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=73537. 633 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 438 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40316266&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 2, .PDF, 64 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40316267&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - Owner Interview (item 3, .PDF, 28 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40316268&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Owner%20Interview-Master.PDF - Carburetor Icing Chart (item 4, .PDF, 103 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40316269&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Carburetor%20Icing%20Chart-Master.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.