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).
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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 October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 2021
- Place
- San Diego / El Cajon, California · Gillespie Fld · 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 WPR21LA349.