Beech S35 accident near Oxnard, California, November 19, 1995
On November 19, 1995 at about 1:21 am local time, a Beech S35, registered N5795K, was destroyed in an accident near Oxnard, California (Oxnard airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
failure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed during a missed approach, after encountering an undetermined propeller malfunction, which resulted in a stall and collision with the terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: darkness, fog, and the propeller malfunction.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 19, 1995 · about 1:21 am local time
- Place
- Oxnard, California · Oxnard · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech S35 · all S35s on the register
- Registration
- N5795K · no longer on the register · serial D-7575
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had been cleared for an ILS Runway 25 approach, and he was following another IFR aircraft inbound, which completed it's landing. Tower personnel lost sight of the preceeding aircraft due to ground fog. The tower controller cleared the accident pilot to land and advised him to report a missed approach or on-the-ground as the controller could no longer see the runway. Subsequently, the controller asked the pilot if he was performing a missed approach, and the pilot said affirmative. About 20 seconds later over an open microphone, the pilot was heard to say 'can you hear me i'm... come on baby, come on, come on, come on.' In the background there was the sound of a stall warning horn. Subsequently, the airplane crashed into sand dunes about 1.5 miles west of the airport with a high sink rate. Voice tape examination revealed that the propeller rpm oscillated from a high of 2,844 rpm to a low of 2,220 rpm over 52 seconds. During an on-scene investigation, traces of red propeller dome oil were found from the base of one blade. The oil was also found on the engine cowl, windshield, and top communication antenna, as well as other places. During a postaccident examination of the propeller, no preexisting failure or malfunction was found. The propeller governor was functionally tested, and it performed to the manufacturer's specifications.
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: 2,000 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,054 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 17, 1995; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Cuyama CA
- Destination: OXR CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,950 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:20 am from OXR
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.