Dornier DO-24 accident near Oildale, California, March 17, 1988
On March 17, 1988 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Dornier DO-24, registered N772AX, was destroyed in an accident near Oildale, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S IMPROPER FUEL CONSUMPTION CALCULATIONS AND HIS FAILURE TO PROPERLY USE THE MIXTURE CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 17, 1988 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Oildale, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dornier DO-24
- Registration
- N772AX · no longer on the register · serial 664
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 1,583 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 4,080 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IGSO-480-A1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0O3 San Andreas CA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: BFL Bakersfield CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:20 pm from BFL
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.
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.