Cessna 510 accident near El Monte, California, August 31, 2019
On August 31, 2019 at about 6:05 pm local time, a 2008 Cessna 510, registered N551WH, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff (rejected takeoff) near El Monte, California (San Gabriel Valley airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to disengage the parking brake before takeoff, which resulted in decreased acceleration and a subsequent runway overrun following an aborted takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2019 · about 6:05 pm local time
- Place
- El Monte, California · San Gabriel Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 510, built 2008 · all 510s on the register
- Registration
- N551WH · no longer on the register · serial 510-0055
- 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, while holding short of the runway, he set the parking brake while waiting for his takeoff clearance. Upon receiving takeoff clearance, he reached down to the parking brake handle and, "quickly pushed the parking brakes back in"; however, he did not visually verify that he disengaged the parking brake. During the takeoff roll, he noticed that the airplane was not accelerating beyond about 70 knots and decided to abort the takeoff. The airplane subsequently veered to the left, exited the departure end of the runway, and impacted an airport perimeter fence. The pilot reported that he must have not fully disengaged the parking brake before takeoff and that there were no mechanical issues with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the parking brake handle was partially extended, which likely resulted in the airplane’s decreased acceleration during the takeoff roll.
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
- Runway excursion during takeoff (rejected takeoff) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff (rejected takeoff)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incomplete action › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Unintentional use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,217 hours in all; 477 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,945 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 8,645 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney Canada PW615F-A (turbofan); 1,715 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney Canada PW615F-A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EMT El Monte CA at 6:05 pm
- Destination: Thermal ID
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 01, 3,995 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from KEMT, 1 miles away
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR19LA247.