Curtiss Wright Travel Air accident near Carlsbad, California, November 14, 2015
On November 14, 2015 at about 10:46 pm local time, a 1929 Curtiss Wright Travel Air, registered N9872, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Carlsbad, California (Mc Clellan-Palomar airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, resulting in a ground-loop, and substantial damage to the right wing and wing strut.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 2015 · about 10:46 pm local time
- Place
- Carlsbad, California · Mc Clellan-Palomar · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Curtiss Wright Travel Air B-4000, built 1929
- Registration
- N9872 · registry record · serial 1059
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped biplane, during the fourth landing roll of the day, the airplane "fish tailed" to the right and he was not able to maintain directional control. The airplane ground looped to the left on the runway, the right main landing gear collapsed and the lower right wing struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower right wing and wing strut. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or anomalies prior to or during the flight that would have prevented normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing defining event
- Ground collision during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,656 hours in all; 1,856 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 3,700 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 27, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,131 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 3,130 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cont Motor W670-6A (piston); 1,857 hours total
- Operator: Fun Flights LLC
The flight
- Departed from: CRQ Carlsbad CA at 8:15 pm
- Destination: CRQ Carlsbad CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,897 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from CRQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.