Nickols Field Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Chula Vista, California 92011
Thursday, August 23, 1984 10:20 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

OPERATOR/COMPANY PERSONNEL HAD BEEN FLYING THE CALYPO ULTRALIGHT FOR ABOUT 2 HRS WHEN THE MARKETING DIRECTOR WAS APPROACHED BY A PLT WHO WANTED TO FLY THE VEHICLE. THEY NOTED THAT THE PLT HAD BEEN TEACHING STUDENTS IN AN EIPPER ULTRALIGHT. COMPANY PERSONNEL AGREED TO LET HIM FLY THE TRAFFIC PATTERN ON THE CONDITION THAT HE WOULD PRACTICE 3 CROW HOPS 1ST. THE PLT STARTED THE CALYPSO, BUT TOOK OFF WITHOUT PRACTICING CROW HOPS. HE MADE 2 PASSES TO THE RWY. ON THE 3RD X-WIND TO DOWNWIND TURN AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL, HE COMMENCED A 360-DEGREE TURN, THEN WENT INTO A SPIN & CRASHED.ACCORDING TO A WITNESS, THE PLT APPLIED FULL LEFT STICK & FULL RIGHT RUDDER WHILE PERSONNEL ON THE GROUND WERE YELLING FOR HIM TO KICK IN LEFT RUDDER. THE WINTESS NOTED THAT THE PLT HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN FLYING A 2 AXIS CONTROLLED ULTRALIGHT (EIPPER), BUT THE CALYPSO WAS A 3-AXIS CONTROLLED VEHICLE. HE THOUGHT THE PLT GOT HIS HAND & FOOT CONTROLS MIXED UP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/23/1984
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1020
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City CHULA VISTA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92011
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport NICKOLS FIELD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 550
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Witness
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1135
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 26753
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number NONE
NTSB Number LAX84FU031
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 103: Ultralight
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CALYPSO
Aircraft Model N/A
Aircraft Series Identifier N/A
Aircraft Serial Number 1
Certified Max Gross Weight 500
Aircraft Category Ultralight
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 1
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 60
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LEACH ACFT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1973 FRIENDSHIP DR.
Aircraft Owner City EL CAJON
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92020
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 Yes - certificate holder
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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
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 1000
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 22 2001 3:26PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 1300
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --