CO Z COZY accident near Compton, California, November 17, 2020
On November 17, 2020 at about 10:18 pm local time, a 2004 CO Z COZY, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N82V, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Compton, California (Compton/Woodley airport). 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 partial loss of engine power due to an improperly installed sparkplug.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 2020 · about 10:18 pm local time
- Place
- Compton, California · Compton/Woodley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- CO Z COZY IV, built 2004, amateur-built
- Registration
- N82V · registry record · serial 0379
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Approximately 3 minutes after departure, at an altitude of 1,500 ft, the airplane’s engine experienced a partial loss of power, and the pilot initiated a return to the airport. During the landing roll, the airplane bounced, veered off the runway, and ground looped. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed the No. 2 cylinder bottom spark plug was laying loose in the engine compartment with the ignition lead still attached. The spark plug threads and corresponding threads in the cylinder displayed no signs of damage, which was consistent with the improper installation of the spark plug. The engine was repaired about 11 months before the accident, which is likely when the spark plug was improperly installed. The airplane accumulated approximately 8 hours since the maintenance.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (partial) during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Spark plugs/igniters › Not installed/available
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,150 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: unk
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25L, 3,322 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from HHR, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 27, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FAA Exam | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Synopsis of Events | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Email Exchange | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.