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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

August 23, 1984 · Calypso · UNREG

Chula Vista, CA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 23, 1984
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Chula Vista, CA
Aircraft
Calypso
Tail Number
UNREG
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX84FU031

Operator/company personnel had been flying the Calypso ultralight for about 2 hrs when the marketing director was approached by a pilot who wanted to fly the vehicle. They noted that the pilot 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 first. The pilot started the Calypso, but took off without practicing crow hops. He made 2 passes to the runway. On the 3rd crosswind to downwind turn at about 200 ft AGL, he commenced a 360-degree turn, then went into a spin and crashed. According to a witness, the pilot applied full left stick and full right rudder while personnel on the ground were yelling for him to kick in left rudder. The witness noted that the pilot had previously been flying a 2-axis controlled ultralight (Eipper), but the Calypso was a 3-axis controlled vehicle. He thought the pilot got his hand and foot controls mixed up.

Full Narrative

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.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time10:20 PDT
Nearest AirportNickols Field (0nm N)
Runway27
Runway Length1300 ft
Runway Width100 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCalypso
Tail NumberUNREG
Aircraft CategoryUltr
DamageDestroyed
Operating RulePart 103
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsCuyuna · U1 11-02 · Reciprocating · 35
Seats1

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 35 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
WindCalm
Visibility25 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data