Continental Copters MARK 5 accident near San Juan Bautis, California, August 25, 1993
On August 25, 1993 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Continental Copters MARK 5 (helicopter), registered N9078T, was destroyed in an accident near San Juan Bautis, 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 pilot's failure to maintain sufficient altitude to clear the crops. The pilot's diverted attention during the aerial application flight is a factor in this accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1993 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- San Juan Bautis, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Continental Copters MARK 5
- Registration
- N9078T · no longer on the register · serial 213
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE SPRAYING A CORN FIELD THE PILOT DIVERTED HIS ATTENTION AND FAILED TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO CLEAR THE CROPS. THE RIGHT SPRAY BOOM STRUCK THE 10-FT HIGH CORN CROPS AND THE HELICOPTER CRASHED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming VO-435-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: AG Rotors, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 3O7 Hollister CA at 4:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 315° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°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.
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.