Mcclellan-Palomar Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carlsbad, California 92008
Friday, June 29, 1990 15:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A HUGHES 269C LOST CONTROL AND COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN. THE PILOT WAS RECEIVING HELICOPTER INSTRUCTION FOR AN-ADD ON ROTORCRAFT CATEGORY RATING. BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 10 HOURS OF DUAL INSTRUCTION. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS HIS FIRST SUPERVISED SOLO. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE HAD TAKEN OFF TO A HOVER AND DISCOVERED THE THROTTLE FRICTION TO BE TOO LOOSE. HE LANDED THE HELICOPTER AND ADJUSTED THE THROTTLE FRICTION. THE PILOT TOOK OFF TO A HOVER AGAIN AND ENTERED A RIGHT HOVERING TURN. DURING THE TURN THE ENGINE RPM DROPPED. THE PILOT INCREASED THE THROTTLE AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN RIGHT. THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AND IMPACTED THE GROUND.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AT A HOVER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/29/1990
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CARLSBAD
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92008
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 6
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 0
Airport Elevation 328
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1857
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 29 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1605
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 43754
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1102H
NTSB Number LAX90LA234
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 200891
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CIVIC HELICOPTER INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2192 PALOMAR AIRPORT ROAD
Aircraft Owner City CARLSBAD
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92008
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FLIGHT TRAILS HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2192 PALOMAR AIRPORT RD.
Operator City CARLSBAD
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 92008
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code CRQ
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Hover
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --