Piper PA-23-250 accident near San Francisco, California, February 10, 1986
On February 10, 1986 at about 1:17 am local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N5300Y, was destroyed in an accident near San Francisco, California (Oakland Intl airport). It was a ferry 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 10, 1986 · about 1:17 am local time
- Place
- San Francisco, California · Oakland Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5300Y · no longer on the register · serial 27-2372
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON FEB 9, 1986 AT 1717 PST A PIPER PA-23, N5300Y, DITCHED APPROXIMATELY 460 NM SW OF SFO, CA. THE FLT ORIGINATED FROM HNL, HI. IN FLT FUEL LEAK WAS DISCOVERED AFTER 7 HRS OF FLIGHT. FUEL VAPORS WERE SEEN CONTRAILING OFF BOTH WINGS. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO ISOLATE THE LEAK AND WAS UNABLE. THE CROSSFEED SELECTOR AND ACFT FUEL SELECTOR BECAME DIFFICULT TO MOVE. THE SOURCE OF THE FUEL LEAK WAS LOCATED EITHER IN THE WING OR IN THE CROSSFEED SYSTEM. THE ACFT DITCHED AFTER 9 HRS 45 MIN OF FLT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 980 hours in all; 23 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,775 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 9, 1985; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight Contract Services
The flight
- Departed from: HNL Honolulu HI at 1:15 am
- Destination: OAK Oakland CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 045° at 6 knots
- Sky: overcast; clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.