Piper J5A accident near Turlock, California, September 29, 2007
On September 29, 2007 at about 4:56 pm local time, a Piper J5A, registered N38234, was substantially damaged in an accident near Turlock, California (Turlock Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to properly and adequately tie down the airplane during the engine start operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 2007 · about 4:56 pm local time
- Place
- Turlock, California · Turlock Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J5A · all J5As on the register
- Registration
- N38234 · no longer on the register · serial 5-917
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot turned off the fuel selector prior to starting the engine and he forgot to turn it back on during taxi for takeoff. The engine lost all power and stopped. The airplane was not equipped with a starter. When the pilot hand propped the engine for a restart the airplane was not securely tied down, and the throttle was not at idle. The engine started and revved up. The pilot attempted to restrain the airplane by holding on to it, and he was injured in that endeavor. The unoccupied airplane became airborne and climbed about 200 feet above the ground. Thereafter, it banked right and descended into a corn field next to the airport.
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: 1,820 hours in all; 240 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90-8F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O15 Turlock CA
- Destination: O27 Oakdale CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N38234 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.