Aeronca 11AC accident near San Diego, California, November 25, 2019
On November 25, 2019 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 1946 Aeronca 11AC, registered N9510E, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Diego, California (Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Air airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll with a quartering tailwind, which resulted in a collision with an airport sign and subsequent ground-loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 25, 2019 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Diego, California · Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Air · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aeronca 11AC No Series, built 1946 · all 11ACs on the register
- Registration
- N9510E · registry record · serial 11AC-1146
- 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, due to a quartering tailwind, he conducted a wheel landing in the tailwheel-equipped airplane. Shortly after touchdown, the airplane was pushed toward the left side of the runway. The pilot attempted to correct the drift by applying full right rudder and power to no avail. The airplane subsequently struck a sign along the edge of the runway and ground looped, which resulted in substantial damage to the aft fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- 552230 during descent - emergency
- 552060 during descent - emergency
- 552300 during descent - emergency
- 552470 during descent - emergency
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Sign/marker › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- Flight time: 1,549 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,460 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2019
- Medical certificate: class 1
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,305 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, September 1, 2019; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A65-8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA at 7:30 pm
- Destination: MYF San Diego CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28R, 4,598 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°C, dew point 50°C
- Altimeter: 29.85 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from MYF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 WPR20CA058.