# Accident 20190714011779A: Piper J3C-65, San Diego, CA, July 14, 2019 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: July 14, 2019, 15:55 local time - Place: San Diego, CA - Airport: Montgomery Field - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Landing: Rollout - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 32.8158° N, 117.1394° W: From the FAA - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.8158&lon=-117.1394&mi=10 - Aircraft: N92628, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N92628) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Piper J3C-65 (registry code 7100510, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-j3c-65) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental A&C65 series (registry code 17003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-a-c65-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: PIPER J3C-65 - Reported engine: CONT MOTOR A&C65 SERIES - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Other injuries: 0 - Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot - Pilot flight hours: 1,359 total, 28 in this make and model, 45 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA19CA411](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA411) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190714011779A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ON JULY 14, 2019, AT MONTGOMERY FIELD, SAN DIEGO, CA, AT APPROXIMATELY 5:00 PM PDT, PILOT WAS ALLOWED TO DO HIS FIRST SOLO TAKEOFF AND LANDINGS IN HIS TAILWHEEL J3 CUB BY HIS FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR. PILOT HAD DONE A SUCCESSFUL TOUCH AND GO LANDING ON RUNWAY 28R AND ON DOWNWIND FOR RWY 28R THE MYF ATCT INSTRUCTED N92628 TO MAKE A SHORT APPROACH. THE PILOT STATES "I DID SO AND ROLLED OUT ON FINAL. I WAS LINED UP WELL WITH THE NOSE POINTED STRAIGHT DOWN THE RUNWAY AND HAD A VERY SLIGHT CROSS-WIND CORRECTION WITH LEFT AILERON. I TOUCHED DOWN IN A THREE-POINT LANDING JUST BEYOND THE NUMBERS AND FELT LIKE IT WAS GOING VERY WELL. WHEN I WAS ADJACENT TO THE INTERSECTION WITH TAXIWAY C, JUST AS I WAS ABOUT TO ADD POWER FOR THE TAKEOFF, I FELT THE TAIL SHIFT TO THE RIGHT RAPIDLY. I TRIED TO COUNTER IT WITH RIGHT RUDDER BUT IT DID NOT SEEM TO RESPOND ENOUGH. I SAW THAT I WAS HEADING OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AT ABOUT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE TO THE RUNWAY DIRECTION AND ADDED POWER AND UP ELEVATOR TO ATTEMPT TO TAKEOFF. AS I WAS DOING SO, THE AIRCRAFT LEFT THE PAVED RUNWAY INTO THE DIRT AND IT FELT AS IF IT GOT AIRBORNE FOR A VERY SHORT TIME. HOWEVER, I FELT THE AIRCRAFT JERK AND AT THAT POINT, QUITE FRANKLY THINGS WERE HAPPENING SO FAST I DONT RECALL EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED. THE NEXT THING I REALIZED WAS THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD TURNED RIGHT ABOUT 90 DEGREED WITH A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE AND I SAW I WAS ABOUT TO HIT THE GROUND NOSE DOWN. I DONT REMEMBER DOING SO, BUT I APPARENTLY PULLED THE THROTTLE BACK JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP AND DUST FLEW EVERYWHERE. I CHECKED MYSELF AND NOTED THAT I DID NOT HAVE ANY INJURIES. I RELEASED MY SEAT BELT/ SHOULDER HARNESS, SECURED ELECTRICAL POWER, PULLED THE MIXTURE AND SHUT OFF THE FUEL. I THEN EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND CALLED THE TOWER ON MY HAND-HELD RADIO TO LET THEM KNOW THAT THERE WERE NO INJURIES, POWER WAS SECURED AND THERE WERE NO FUEL LEAKS." THE FOREGOING IS PILOT'S NARRATIVE FROM NTSB FORM 6120.1. DURING PILOT'S SECOND SOLO LANDING IN HIS TAILWHEEL J3 CUB ON RWY 28R AT MYF THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING ROLLOUT. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB GAA19CA411](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA411), Jul 15, 2019: Piper J3C (N92628), San Diego, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing, which resulted a ground loop. ## Other reports on N92628 (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20250324005132I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250324005132I), Mar 24, 2025: Piper J3C-65 (N92628), San Diego, CA, Minor damage. Aircraft [privacy data omitted] was holding short at runway 28L awaiting clearance. Aircraft [privacy data omitted] was taxing to runway 28L and made contact… - [Incident 20130309003069I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130309003069I), Mar 9, 2013: Piper J3C-65 (N92628), San Diego, CA, Minor damage. Upon touchdown at montgomery field (kmyf) runway 28R, the aircrafts right main gear strut brace failed which caused the aircraft to settle on the right strut.… From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.