Piper PA-23 accident near Oxnard, California, December 8, 1994
On December 8, 1994 at about 2:11 am local time, a Piper PA-23, registered N2027P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oxnard, California (Oxnard airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to ensure the aircraft was secured prior to attempting an engine start by handpropping.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 1994 · about 2:11 am local time
- Place
- Oxnard, California · Oxnard · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23 · all PA-23s on the register
- Registration
- N2027P · registry record · serial 23-601
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT NOTED THAT DURING THE FLIGHT TO OXNARD HE DID A LONG CRUISE DESCENT WITH THE ENGINES AT A VERY LOW POWER OUTPUT. HE SAID HE WAS UNAWARE THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD GENERATORS INSTEAD OF ALTERNATORS, AND THAT THE ENGINE SPEED HE WAS USING FOR THE DESCENT WAS BELOW THE SPEED REQUIRED TO KEEP THE BATTERY CHARGED. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED AND THE PILOT DEPLANED HIS PASSENGER AFTER SHUTTING DOWN BOTH ENGINES. HE THEN TRIED TO START THE ENGINES AND DISCOVERED THAT THE BATTERY CHARGE WAS TOO LOW TO START THE ENGINES. HE SET THE BRAKES, THEN STARTED THE RIGHT ENGINE BY HANDPROPPING. HE THEN RETURNED TO THE COCKPIT AND ATTEMPTED TO USE THE RIGHT ENGINE GENERATOR TO HELP START THE LEFT ENGINE; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE WOULD NOT CRANK OVER ENOUGH TO ACHIEVE A START. THE PILOT THEN RETARDED THE RIGHT ENGINE THROTTLE TO IDLE, MADE SURE THE BRAKES WERE SET, AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT TO HANDPROP THE LEFT ENGINE. THE ENGINE STARTED AND WENT TO A HIGH POWER SETTING. BEFORE THE PILOT COULD GET BACK IN THE AIRCRAFT, IT LEFT THE PARKING SPACE AND BEGAN TURNING IN CIRCLES. AFTER THE THIRD CIRCLE, THE LEFT WING HIT A FENCE AND A TREE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,152 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 1,092 as pilot in command; 245 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,092 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1994; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OXR at 2:11 am
- Destination: SJC San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.