Mcclellan-Palomar Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carlsbad, California 92008
Monday, December 4, 2000 13:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The purpose of the flight was for the certified flight instructor (CFI) to evaluate the skill level of the second pilot, and to provide any needed instruction. The CFI assigned the second pilot the task of performing an autorotation to a landing. During the approach the second pilot, who was handling the flight controls, was a little short of the desired touchdown mark and permitted the main rotor rpm to decrease. During the hard touchdown a rotor blade chopped off the tail boom.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The CFI's inadequate supervision and failure to maintain control of the helicopter during a practice autorotation. A contributing factor was the student's improper in-flight planning/decision.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/4/2000
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1330
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City CARLSBAD
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92008
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport MCCLELLAN-PALOMAR
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CRQ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 328
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1253 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID CRQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 328
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 75
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 52
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 350
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11265
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Dec 4 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1339
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2002 7:11AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1097N
NTSB Number LAX01LA053
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 Hughes
Aircraft Model 269C
Aircraft Series Identifier 269C
Aircraft Serial Number 600934
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
Aircraft Category Helicopter
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 Oct 13 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 66
Airframe Hours 9582
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FLIGHT TRAILS HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2192 H PALOMAR AIRPORT ROAD
Aircraft Owner City CARLSBAD
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92008
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CIVIC HELICOPTER
Operator Same as Owner? No
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 DCQA
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code CRQ
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1300
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
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 4 2001 2:49PM
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 --