Piper PA-22 accident near El Cajon, California, February 17, 2008
On February 17, 2008 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22, registered N3316A, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near El Cajon, California (Gillespie Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of both pilots to maintain directional control during landing and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 2008 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- El Cajon, California · Gillespie Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22 · all PA-22s on the register
- Registration
- N3316A · registry record · serial 22-1593
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot was with a certified flight instructor (CFI) on a tail wheel familiarization flight. While en route to the airport they experienced a loss of radio communications. The pilot set his transponder to 7600, overflew the field at pattern altitude, and received a green light from the tower. He entered the pattern and started his final approach at 70 knots with one notch of flaps, which was how the airplane was configured for his previous landings. On short final the CFI called for full flaps. As the flaps were moved to the full position, airspeed decreased and the rate of descent increased. The pilot added power and lowered the nose in an attempt to maintain the glide slope. At 15 to 20 feet agl the airplane began to settle, and then bounced during touchdown. The CFI called for the pilot to close the throttle, and the airplane bounced a second time. The airplane swerved left, the CFI applied right rudder, the airplane then swerved right, and the pilot and CFI applied left rudder and left brake. The plane continued to perform a ground loop to the right and the left wing dug into the terrain, causing substantial damage to the wing structure.
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 (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 855 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSEE El Cajon CA
- Destination: KSEE El Cajon CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 5,342 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from KSEE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.