- Date
- February 9, 2002, 12:21 local (20:21 UTC)
- Place
- San Diego, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N502GLGreat Lakes 2T-1A-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 24, 2002
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- FAA-WP-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20020209002399A
- Case key
- 54182
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot failed to maintain directional control after encountering a gust of wind during the landing roll. Factors were the unexpected wind gusts and the soft terrain adjacent to the runway.
Analysis
The airplane veered off the runway, a wheel dug into the dirt, and the airplane nosed over. The accident occurred on the pilot's third landing. He made a good 3-point landing just past the numbers. During the landing roll as the airplane slowed to 5 to 10 mph, a gust of wind hit the tail and the airplane swerved off the runway.
Factual narrative
On February 9, 2002, at 1221 Pacific standard time, a Great Lakes 2T-1A-1, N502GL, veered off the side of the runway and nosed over during landing at Montgomery Field, San Diego, California. The private pilot/owner was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The pilot and one passenger were not injured; the airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal local flight departed Montgomery Field about 1135. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
The pilot stated that the accident occurred on his third landing. He said he made a good 3-point landing just past the numbers. During the landing roll as the airplane slowed to 5 to 10 mph, a gust of wind hit the tail and the airplane swerved. The airplane veered off the runway, a wheel dug into the dirt, and the airplane nosed over.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N502GL
- Reported as
- Great Lakes 2T-1A-1
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0502
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320-E2A, 140 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Associated Aircraft
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 31, 2001
- Departed
- MYF · San Diego, CA
- Airport
- MYF · Montgomery Field, runway 28L, 3,399 × 60 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- November 1, 2001
- Seat
- Rear
- Flight hours
- 581 total · 32 in this make and model · 552 as pilot in command · 18 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 0° at 0 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 16 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.20 inHg
- Observed at
- MYF
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 11, 2002, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 333 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N502GL · 3
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.