Mcclellan-Palomar Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carlsbad, California 92011
Sunday, November 11, 2012 15:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot intended to practice touch-and-go landings on a runway nearly aligned with the reported 9-knot wind, in clear weather conditions. He noted no mention of any wind gusts in the airport’s automatic terminal information service weather information before he took off. However, the pilot noticed light turbulence during the right crosswind and downwind legs in the traffic pattern. After a short approach and a smooth landing, he applied power, achieved rotation speed, and lifted off again. However, when the airplane was only a few feet off the ground, the wind started to blow it left of the center line. Although the pilot applied full rudder and aileron deflection to counter the crosswind, the airplane continued to track toward the side of the runway and was not climbing at a rate that would clear parked aircraft. The pilot aborted the takeoff, and the airplane subsequently collided with the tail of a parked helicopter, spun a few degrees clockwise, and came to rest on its left wing, which sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that he had flown about 3 hours in the accident airplane, which was a light sport airplane. He believed that because of the airplane’s relatively light weight, it was more susceptible to crosswind and turbulence than other airplanes he had flown. He also noted that the controls were configured significantly different than any of the other airplanes he had flown. His previous flights took place in calm air, and the pilot thought that his time in the accident airplane was insufficient to instill the reflexive familiarity necessary to control the airplane during the accident takeoff.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with parked aircraft. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of experience in the airplane make/model.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/11/2012
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Carlsbad
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 92011
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 330742N
Event Location Longitude 1171648W
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 331
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1453 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID KCRQ
Elevation of weather observation facility 328
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
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) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.19
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) 30978
NTSB Notification Source FAA AWP Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 4 2013 5:25PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N153TB
NTSB Number WPR13CA039
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 COSTRUZIONI AERONAUTICHE TECNA
Aircraft Model P2004 BRAVO
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 081
Certified Max Gross Weight 1530
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
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 Aug 31 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 37
Airframe Hours 1104
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name WHITE JEFFREY M
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City CARLSBAD
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92008-2716
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Plus One Flyers
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Carlsbad
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
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 --
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code CRQ
Departure City Carlsbad
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1515
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code CRQ
Destination City Carlsbad
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 4 2013 5:23PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 24
Runway Length 4897
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --