What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.19) On February 23, 2003, about 1611 pacific standard time, a Luscombe T-8F, N1822B, operated by the pilot, collided with terrain during an attempted go-around following an aborted landing at the Gillespie field, El Cajon, California. The airplane was substantially damaged. Neither the airline transport certificated pilot (ATP) nor the second pilot, who previously had been handling the flight controls, was injured. Both pilots possessed certified flight instructor certificates. The accident occurred during an instructional flight that was performed under 14 CFR part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated from El Cajon about 1529. According to the ATP, his son had performed three takeoffs and landings in the traffic pattern. During rollout on the fourth landing, the ATP pulled the control stick aft to lower the tail wheel. The airplane veered left, directional control was lost, and the airplane collided with a taxiway sign. Thereafter, the ATP applied full engine power to go around. The airplane veered right, exited the right side of the runway, and became airborne. While in ground effect, the airplane's right wing tip impacted a nearby dirt embankment. The airplane came to rest in a grassy field on airport property. The ATP also indicated that during the attempted landing on runway 27R, the left crosswind increased in speed and a gust was encountered. He estimated that the wind was from 220 degrees at 10 knots, with an occasional gust to 14 knots. At 1550, the control tower reported that the wind was from 230 degrees at 6 knots. (-23) on February 23, 2003, Luscombe aircraft N1822B was conducting a pilot proficiency training flight at see. The aircraft had completed three touch and go landings and on the fourth landing to a full stop, the pilot lost directional control and executed a ground loop maneuver to the left. Damage to the aircraft was substantial, however both pilots escaped injury. Pilot claims limited rudder travel caused by contact with tail wheel was instrumental in this occurrence. Investigation revealed damage on the bottom of rudder assy. However, this may have occurred during the crash sequence. Tail wheel-rudder clearance and tail wheel spring strength appear normal.
As the FAA filed it
(.19) ON FEBRUARY 23, 2003, ABOUT 1611 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A LUSCOMBE T-8F, N1822B, OPERATED BY THE PILOT, COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING AN ATTEMPTED GO-AROUND FOLLOWING AN ABORTED LANDING AT THE GILLESPIE FIELD, EL CAJON, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. NEITHER THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT CERTIFICATED PILOT (ATP) NOR THE SECOND PILOT, WHO PREVIOUSLY HAD BEEN HANDLING THE FLIGHT CONTROLS, WAS INJURED. BOTH PILOTS POSSESSED CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR CERTIFICATES. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT THAT WAS PERFORMED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM EL CAJON ABOUT 1529. ACCORDING TO THE ATP, HIS SON HAD PERFORMED THREE TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. DURING ROLLOUT ON THE FOURTH LANDING, THE ATP PULLED THE CONTROL STICK AFT TO LOWER THE TAIL WHEEL. THE AIRPLANE VEERED LEFT, DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST, AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A TAXIWAY SIGN. THEREAFTER, THE ATP APPLIED FULL ENGINE POWER TO GO AROUND. THE AIRPLANE VEERED RIGHT, EXITED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, AND BECAME AIRBORNE. WHILE IN GROUND EFFECT, THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING TIP IMPACTED A NEARBY DIRT EMBANKMENT. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN A GRASSY FIELD ON AIRPORT PROPERTY. THE ATP ALSO INDICATED THAT DURING THE ATTEMPTED LANDING ON RUNWAY 27R, THE LEFT CROSSWIND INCREASED IN SPEED AND A GUST WAS ENCOUNTERED. HE ESTIMATED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM 220 DEGREES AT 10 KNOTS, WITH AN OCCASIONAL GUST TO 14 KNOTS. AT 1550, THE CONTROL TOWER REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM 230 DEGREES AT 6 KNOTS. (-23) ON FEBRUARY 23, 2003, LUSCOMBE AIRCRAFT N1822B WAS CONDUCTING A PILOT PROFICIENCY TRAINING FLIGHT AT SEE. THE AIRCRAFT HAD COMPLETED THREE TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS AND ON THE FOURTH LANDING TO A FULL STOP, THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND EXECUTED A GROUND LOOP MANEUVER TO THE LEFT. DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIAL, HOWEVER BOTH PILOTS ESCAPED INJURY. PILOT CLAIMS LIMITED RUDDER TRAVEL CAUSED BY CONTACT WITH TAIL WHEEL WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS OCCURRENCE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED DAMAGE ON THE BOTTOM OF RUDDER ASSY. HOWEVER, THIS MAY HAVE OCCURRED DURING THE CRASH SEQUENCE. TAIL WHEEL-RUDDER CLEARANCE AND TAIL WHEEL SPRING STRENGTH APPEAR NORMAL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.