Oxnard Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Oxnard, California 93030
Wednesday, December 7, 1994 18:11 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to ensure the aircraft was secured prior to attempting an engine start by handpropping.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/7/1994
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1811
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City OXNARD
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93030
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport OXNARD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID OXR
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 43
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2024
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 7 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1915
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2027P
NTSB Number LAX95LA045
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-23
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-23
Aircraft Serial Number 23-601
Certified Max Gross Weight 3500
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 18
Airframe Hours 6092
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVIDS AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3600 CAROL KENNEDY DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City SAN ANDREAS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95249
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN H. MORGAN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 805 DOT CIRCLE
Operator City COPPEROPOLIS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95228
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code OXR
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1811
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SJC
Destination City SAN JOSE
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Other
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --