Perth Amboy BIRD BK accident near El Cajon, California, August 12, 1994
On August 12, 1994 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Perth Amboy BIRD BK, registered NC731Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Cajon, California (Gillespie Field). It was a personal 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 PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR THE WIND CONDITIONS AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE UNFAVORABLE WIND WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1994 · about 6:30 pm local time · cases in 1994
- Place
- El Cajon, California · Gillespie Field · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Perth Amboy BIRD BK · all BIRD BKs on the register
- Registration
- NC731Y · registered outside the United States · serial 2039-19
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE PERFORMED A NORMAL LANDING ON RUNWAY 27 RIGHT. AS THE AIRPLANE SLOWED TO ABOUT 15 MPH, A 'SWIRLING GUST OF WIND' LIFTED THE TAIL AND TURNED THE AIRPLANE TO THE LEFT. THE PILOT NOTED THAT AT THIS SLOW SPEED THE RUDDER AND ELEVATOR WERE NOT EFFECTIVE AND HIS EFFORTS TO COUNTERACT THE LEFT TURN WERE NOT EFFECTIVE. THE AIRCRAFT LEFT THE PAVEMENT AND GROUND LOOPED WHEN THE LEFT MAIN WHEEL ENCOUNTERED SOFT SOIL. THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED THE GROUND AND WAS DAMAGED DURING THE UNCONTROLLED SWERVE.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 25,000 as pilot in command; 4,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kinner K-5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SEE at 6:00 pm
- Destination: SEE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 5,371 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 1,200 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:24 pm from SEE, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- Perth Amboy BIRD BK 7 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Perth Amboy 13 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Kinner K-5 52 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Gillespie Field · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,096 in the last ten years
- California 28,134 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/LAX94LA319.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.