Boeing PT-13D accident near El Cajon, California, December 19, 2025
On December 19, 2025 at about 9:10 pm local time, a 1943 Boeing PT-13D, registered N68830, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near 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 during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 19, 2025 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- 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
- Boeing PT-13D, built 1943 · all PT-13Ds on the register
- Registration
- N68830 · registry record · serial 755667
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped biplane reported that he was performing a three-point landing. After an uneventful touchdown the airplane drifted to the right. The pilot attempted to compensate using left aileron and full-aft elevator control inputs. He applied partial engine power and the airplane then veered to left. The airplane continued off the left side of the runway, and ground-looped to the left. During the sequence, both lower wings struck the ground. The left lower wing and aileron received substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and stated that the accident was simply the result of a loss of control.
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 (flare/touchdown) 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 › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
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: 14,600 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 107 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command; 9,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 11, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,701 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 2025
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming R680-17 (piston); 1,617 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 5,342 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.99 inHg
- Observation at 1:02 pm from KSEE
Weather report (METAR): SPECI KSEE 192102Z 23007KT 10SM SKC 26/07 A2999=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures 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
4 documents, released by the NTSB on March 13, 2026. 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's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot's Statement - Followup | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 WPR26LA066.