Piper PA-24-180 accident near Malibu, California, July 2, 1993
On July 2, 1993 at about 8:22 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N8058P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Malibu, California. 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 inadequate annual inspection by other maintenance personnel and the worn fuel selector valve shaft. Contributing to this accident was the loss of power due to fuel starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1993 · about 8:22 pm local time
- Place
- Malibu, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N8058P · registry record · serial 24-3304
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENGINE SUSTAINED A LOSS OF POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. THE PILOT EXECUTED THE REQUIRED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES, BUT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE PILOT ELECTED TO DITCH THE AIRPLANE INTO THE PACIFIC OCEAN ABOUT 2 MILES OFF SHORE. THE AIRPLANE SANK TO A 20 FT DEPTH AFTER THE PILOT WAS RESCUED. THE AIRPLANE WAS RETRIEVED WITH BOTH WINGS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE FUEL SYSTEMS INTACT. THE LEFT WING FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY AND THE RIGHT WING CONTAINED A MIXTURE OF ABOUT 15 GALLONS OF FUEL AND OCEAN WATER. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE HANDLE WAS SELECTED TO THE RIGHT TANK. THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE, HOWEVER, WAS POSITIONED TOWARD THE LEFT TANK. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE SHAFT REVEALED IT TO BE ROUNDED. AN ANNUAL INSPECTION HAD BEEN PERFORMED 16 FLIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
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: 882 hours in all; 546 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 840 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,824 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1993; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMO Santa Monica CA at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.
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.