Amateur-built COZY accident near Oceanside, California, June 23, 1995
On June 23, 1995 at about 7:30 pm local time, a amateur-built COZY, registered N84CZ, was destroyed in an accident near Oceanside, California (Oceanside Muni airport). 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 pilot's premature rotation of the aircraft and failure to attain the proper liftoff airspeed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 1995 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Oceanside, California · Oceanside Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built COZY
- Registration
- N84CZ · no longer on the register · serial 71
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED TO FAA INSPECTORS THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOADED TO MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT AS HE BEGAN A TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL ON RUNWAY 24. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE PERFORMED FINE; HOWEVER, THE GROUND ACCELERATION SEEMED SLUGGISH. THE PILOT ROTATED AT HIS NORMAL POINT, BUT THE AIRCRAFT FELT MUSHY AND HE ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. THE AIRCRAFT OVERRAN THE END OF THE 3,061-FOOT-LONG RUNWAY BEFORE HE COULD STOP AND COLLIDED WITH A FENCE AND A BERM. THE PILOT SAID THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OF ANY SYSTEM.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 800 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 12, 1995
- Maximum gross weight: 1,763 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L32 at 7:30 pm
- Destination: Baja
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,061 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 700 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:46 pm from CRQ, 6 miles away
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.