North American SNJ-5 accident near Santa Paula, California, December 3, 1993
On December 3, 1993, a North American SNJ-5, registered N89014, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Paula, 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
was the failure of the needle valve pin assembly in the airplane's carburetor. A factor which contributed to the accident was the lack of suitable terrain for the emergency landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 1993
- Place
- Santa Paula, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American SNJ-5 · all SNJ-5s on the register
- Registration
- N89014 · registry record · serial 84865
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while cruising at 3,800 feet mean sea level he suddenly detected a 'very strong smell of aviation gasoline and the engine stopped running.' The pilot attempted to restart the engine, but was not successful. The pilot further reported that he did not have sufficient altitude to glide to any airport, so he made an emergency landing in a nearby river bed. During rollout, the airplane collided with vegetation. An examination of the engine revealed it had stopped as a result of being flooded with excessive fuel. The cause of the flooding related to the improper functioning of the carburetor's needle valve pin.
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: airline transport pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,000 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 13,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,495 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 17, 1993; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1340-AN1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMA Camarillo CA at 11:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.