Curtiss-Wright Travel Air 4000 accident near Carlsbad, California, April 9, 2008
On April 9, 2008 at about 7:31 pm local time, a Curtiss-Wright Travel Air 4000, registered N4418, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Carlsbad, California (Mcclellan-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 inadequate crosswind compensation and failure to maintain directional control during landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 2008 · about 7:31 pm local time
- Place
- Carlsbad, California · Mcclellan-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 4000
- Registration
- N4418 · registry record · serial 378
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Following an uneventful commercial air tour sightseeing flight in the 1928 model biplane, the pilot returned to the departure airport and prepared for landing on runway 24. The pilot stated that during his approach, air traffic control tower personal reported that the wind was from 180 degrees at 5 knots. The pilot compensated for the wind by initiating a crab, and he landed on the runway. During the landing rollout the pilot lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane's lower right wing impacted the runway as the airplane suddenly reversed direction and ground looped to a stop.
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 (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Not specified
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Crosswind correction › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,722 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Wright R760-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRQ Carlsbad CA at 6:35 pm
- Destination: CRQ Carlsbad CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,897 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 6:09 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.
Other NTSB records under N4418 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.