LAX84FU031

NTSB accident investigation · Calypso N/A · Chula Vista, CA · August 23, 1984

Accident · FatalFinal report
Date
August 23, 1984, 10:20 local (17:20 UTC)
Place
Chula Vista, CA
Injuries
1 fatal
Damage
Destroyed
Phase of flight
Approach
Aircraft
UNREGCalypso N/A
Weather
Visual (VMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
Case key
24019

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

On this page

Sequence of events

NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.

Loss of control - in flightApproach - vfr pattern - downwind
Preflight planning/preparation - inadequatePilot in commandCause
Lack of total experience in type of aircraftPilot in commandCause
Lack of total experiencePilot in commandCause
Instructions,written/verbal - not followedPilot in commandCause
Flight controls - improper use ofPilot in commandCause
Stall/spin - uncontrolledPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterDescent - uncontrolled

Analysis

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.

Aircraft

Registration
UNREG
Reported as
Calypso N/A
Category
Ultralight
Serial number
1
Airframe hours
60
Engine
Cuyuna U1 11-02, 35 horsepower, reciprocating
Damage
Destroyed
Flight
Personal · Part 103
Registered owner
Leach Acft
Airport
Nickols Field, runway 27, 1,300 × 100 ft, dirt

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
35
Certificate
Private
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
Seat
Center
Toxicology
Performed
Flight hours
235 total

Weather

Conditions
Visual (VMC) · Day
Wind
Calm
Visibility
25 statute miles
Lowest ceiling
None
Temperature
75 °F