- Date
- October 24, 2009, 11:45 local (18:45 UTC)
- Place
- El Cajon, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N24536Piper J4
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 3, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20091024021699A
- Case key
- 74951
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 left-seat pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings.
Analysis
The certified flight instructor who occupied the left pilot seat was conducting a flight review for the private pilot who occupied the right pilot seat. The airplane was equipped with brakes that were operated from the left pilot seat position only. After the landing was completed by the right-seat pilot the airplane began to veer to the left during the landing roll. The left-seat pilot then attempted to correct back to the right by applying right brake, which resulted in the airplane nosing over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its rudder. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane at the time of the accident. A Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector who examined the airplane reported no anomalies with the brakes that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The first pilot, a certified flight instructor who occupied the left pilot seat, was conducting a flight review for the second pilot, a private pilot who occupied the right pilot seat. The airplane was equipped with brakes that were operated from the left pilot seat position only. After the landing was completed by the right seat pilot the airplane began to veer to the left during the landing roll. The left seat pilot then attempted to correct back to the right by applying right brake, which resulted in the airplane nosing over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its rudder. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane at the time of the accident. A Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector who examined the airplane reported no anomalies with the brakes, which would have precluded normal operation.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N24536
- Reported as
- Piper J4
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4-635
- Engine
- Teledyne-Continental Motors C85-8, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- John J. McGee
- Registered owner
- John J. McGee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- SEE · El Cajon, CA
- Destination
- SEE · El Cajon, CA
- Airport
- SEE · Gillispie Field, runway 27R, 5,342 × 100 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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 84
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Sport Pilot, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 944 total · 0 in this make and model
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 71
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- December 6, 2008
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 15,251 total · 1 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.95 inHg
- Observed at
- SEE
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 17, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 895 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.