What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aerocoupe privacy data omitted, departed el monte airport at approximately 9:13AM on Sunday October 19, 2025, enroute to kpoc – Bracket airport. On the left downwind for runway 29L, tower asked privacy data omitted if he could take a short approach for 29L. The PIC replied that he could, as he was familiar with the airfield. Tower then cleared privacy data omitted for a short approach to land on 29L, wind 110/5 which equated to a tailwind. The current METAR was broadcasting variable winds at 4KTS, which was updated later at 09:47AM to 120/7KTS. Tower also cleared a Cessna 182, on a 3 mile straight in 29L to follow N6527Q. At approximately 9:25AM, privacy data omitted touched down on or about the numbers. Tower directed privacy data omitted to exit runway 29L at taxiway d. the PIC recalled feeling pressure to exit at d due to the tower instruction and the incoming aircraft cleared to land, now approximately a mile behind him. The PIC began to exit the runway at d but realized he had misjudged his air speed due to the tail wind and self-imposed pressures. The PIC instead exited the paved surface to the unpaved safety area west of taxiway d, colliding with and destroying the taxiway signage located at the west side of taxiway d. the PIC continued under power to the ramp, where he shut down the aircraft. There were no injuries.
Aerocoupe privacy data omitted suffered a bent and chipped propeller, dented landing gear strut fairings; bent pitot tube and a 1.5” tear developing into a 3” long / puncture through the belly skin where the aircraft collided and ran over the airport sign.
Pilot documents, basic medical certificate and flight review were all satisfactory, as were all aircraft airworthiness documents. The PIC was very cooperative and self-reflective. The PIC intends to seek a new flight review in light of the incident.
As the FAA filed it
AEROCOUPE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, DEPARTED EL MONTE AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 9:13AM ON SUNDAY OCTOBER 19, 2025, ENROUTE TO KPOC – BRACKET AIRPORT. ON THE LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 29L, TOWER ASKED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ IF HE COULD TAKE A SHORT APPROACH FOR 29L. THE PIC REPLIED THAT HE COULD, AS HE WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRFIELD. TOWER THEN CLEARED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FOR A SHORT APPROACH TO LAND ON 29L, WIND 110/5 WHICH EQUATED TO A TAILWIND. THE CURRENT METAR WAS BROADCASTING VARIABLE WINDS AT 4KTS, WHICH WAS UPDATED LATER AT 09:47AM TO 120/7KTS. TOWER ALSO CLEARED A CESSNA 182, ON A 3 MILE STRAIGHT IN 29L TO FOLLOW N6527Q. AT APPROXIMATELY 9:25AM, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOUCHED DOWN ON OR ABOUT THE NUMBERS. TOWER DIRECTED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TO EXIT RUNWAY 29L AT TAXIWAY D. THE PIC RECALLED FEELING PRESSURE TO EXIT AT D DUE TO THE TOWER INSTRUCTION AND THE INCOMING AIRCRAFT CLEARED TO LAND, NOW APPROXIMATELY A MILE BEHIND HIM. THE PIC BEGAN TO EXIT THE RUNWAY AT D BUT REALIZED HE HAD MISJUDGED HIS AIR SPEED DUE TO THE TAIL WIND AND SELF-IMPOSED PRESSURES. THE PIC INSTEAD EXITED THE PAVED SURFACE TO THE UNPAVED SAFETY AREA WEST OF TAXIWAY D, COLLIDING WITH AND DESTROYING THE TAXIWAY SIGNAGE LOCATED AT THE WEST SIDE OF TAXIWAY D. THE PIC CONTINUED UNDER POWER TO THE RAMP, WHERE HE SHUT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
AEROCOUPE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SUFFERED A BENT AND CHIPPED PROPELLER, DENTED LANDING GEAR STRUT FAIRINGS; BENT PITOT TUBE AND A 1.5” TEAR DEVELOPING INTO A 3” LONG / PUNCTURE THROUGH THE BELLY SKIN WHERE THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED AND RAN OVER THE AIRPORT SIGN.
PILOT DOCUMENTS, BASIC MEDICAL CERTIFICATE AND FLIGHT REVIEW WERE ALL SATISFACTORY, AS WERE ALL AIRCRAFT AIRWORTHINESS DOCUMENTS. THE PIC WAS VERY COOPERATIVE AND SELF-REFLECTIVE. THE PIC INTENDS TO SEEK A NEW FLIGHT REVIEW IN LIGHT OF THE INCIDENT.