Piper PA-28-140 accident near Woodland, California, February 26, 1992
On February 26, 1992 at about 7:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N595SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Woodland, California. 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
THE COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL'S INADEQUATE 100-HOUR INSPECTION AND FAILURE TO REPLACE THE OIL LINE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE RUPTURE OF THE OIL LINE AND THE DITCH THAT TRAVERSED THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 1992 · about 7:05 pm local time
- Place
- Woodland, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N595SP · registry record · serial 28-24449
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND A PASSENGER WERE IN THE CRUISE PORTION OF A CROSS COUNTRY PERSONAL FLIGHT WHEN THE ENGINE RPM AND OIL PRESSURE BEGAN TO DROP. THE ENGINE QUIT RUNNING AND THE PILOT SELECTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING AREA. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A GRASSY FIELD THAT HAD A DITCH ACROSS THE LANDING AREA. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MANEUVER OVER THE DITCH, THE LANDING GEAR STRUCK THE SIDE OF THE DITCH, TEARING OFF THE LANDING GEAR AND DAMAGING BOTH WINGS. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE TO THE OIL COOLER OIL LINE RUPTURED. MAINTENANCE RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE OIL LINE HAD BEEN INSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE FOR THE LAST 1,600 HOURS AND A 100-HOUR INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED 50 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. REPLACEMENT OF THE LINE IS REQUIRED NO LATER THAN 1,000 HOURS OF SERVICE AND THE COMPANY MECHANIC DID NOT REPLACE THE OIL LINE.
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: 150 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 84 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,500 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 13, 1991; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mr. Aircraft, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: O61 Cameron Park CA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: UKI Ukiah CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.