Beech D17S accident near San Diego / El Cajon, California, September 21, 2021
On September 21, 2021, a 1947 Beech D17S, registered N1196V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near San Diego / El Cajon, California (Gillespie Fld 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll with a crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion and subsequent collision with runway signage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 2021 · cases in 2021
- Place
- San Diego / El Cajon, California · Gillespie Fld · 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
- Beech D17S, built 1947 · all D17Ss on the register
- Registration
- N1196V · registry record · serial 6703
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot in the tailwheel-equipped biplane reported that, during the landing roll with a crosswind from the left, the airplane veered to the left, exited the left side of the runway and collided with runway signage. The pilot regained directional control of the airplane and taxied to parking. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the bottom left-wing ribs. 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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 29,000 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 18,356 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 13, 2020
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 993.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 2021; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,250 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 (piston); 36,567 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTV Porterville CA at 10:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09L/, 5,342 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 5:15 pm from KSEE
Weather report (METAR): SPECI KSEE 210015Z 22006KT 10SM SKC 25/16 A2990 RMK AIRCRAFT MISHAPS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on November 12, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photograph | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N1196V on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Beechcraft D17 127 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Beechcraft 6 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-985 1,593 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Gillespie Field · nearest airport
- Porterville Municipal · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,096 in the last ten years
- California 28,279 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR21LA349.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.