Piper PA-24 accident near El Cajon, California, March 5, 2006
On March 5, 2006 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-24, registered N6094P, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Cajon, California (Gillespie Field Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff, which resulted in an on ground collision with a sign, and the collapse of the main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 2006 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- El Cajon, California · Gillespie Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24 · all PA-24s on the register
- Registration
- N6094P · no longer on the register · serial 24-1194
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The solo student pilot was practicing touch-and-go landings on a dry, paved runway. He said that after landing, as he applied full engine power for takeoff, the airplane veered to the left and continued off the left side of the runway. He aborted the takeoff, but the airplane's right main wheel struck a sign post and the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane's right wing struck the ground, and sustained substantial damage. The student pilot noted that there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the airplane.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 20 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 2005
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSSE El Cajon CA at 9:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 5,341 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 10:08 pm from KSEE
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.