Piper PA-24-250 accident near Oceano, California, January 13, 2002
On January 13, 2002 at about 10:37 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N328EJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oceano, California (Oceano County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to the separation of the mixture control cable from the mixture control arm of the carburetor. The mixture cable separation was due to maintenance personnel's failure to secure the mixture control cable away from the nose landing gear, which resulted in the cable snagging during gear extension. A factor in the accident was the airplane being overdue for an annual inspection.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 2002 · about 10:37 pm local time
- Place
- Oceano, California · Oceano County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N328EJ · no longer on the register · serial 24-2356
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane lost engine power in the traffic pattern and collided with an airport perimeter fence when it landed short of the runway. The pilot reported that while on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, he lowered the landing gear. He heard a loud bang from the firewall area, and the instrument panel caved in. The engine lost power, and he maneuvered the airplane towards the airport. The airplane touched down about 500 to 1,000 feet short of the runway, and collided with an airport perimeter fence. A post accident examination of the airplane revealed that the mixture control cable separated at the mixture control arm. The engine control bracket, part number 21189-00, was missing. Without the bracket, the mixture control cable hangs freely down below the engine, where the nose gear is located when in the retracted position. A kink in the mixture cable indicated that it became caught on a Zerk fitting located on the pivot point of the nose landing gear when the nose gear was extended to the down position. This resulted in the mixture control cable separating from the mixture control arm on the carburetor. Maintenance records revealed that the airplane was about 2 months overdue for an annual inspection.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 619 hours in all; 392 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: April 26, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,022 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 9, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L52 Oceano CA at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 2,325 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 10:46 pm from sbp, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.