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LAX90LA234

1990-06-29 · CARLSBAD, California, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport CRQ

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

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

Factual narrative

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. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_LAX90LA234.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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