Continental Copters TOMCAT MARK 5A accident near Castroville, California, November 2, 1983
On November 2, 1983 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Continental Copters TOMCAT MARK 5A (helicopter), registered N9092T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Castroville, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 2, 1983 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Castroville, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Continental Copters TOMCAT MARK 5A TOMCAT MAR
- Registration
- N9092T · no longer on the register · serial CCI-78-4
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER A POWER LOSS. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED ON THE LAST SWATH RUN. WHEN THE ENGINE STOPPED THE ACFT WAS 6 FT AGL. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE STOPPED FROM FUEL STARVATION. ON RECOMMENDATION FOR PREVENTION THE PILOT STATED 'ALLOWING MORE FUEL RESERVE AND NOT RELYING ON FUEL GAUGES'.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,225 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 6,985 as pilot in command; 1,400 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,381 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1983; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-A1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 145° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 N9092T 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.