Santa Paula Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Paula, California 93060
Saturday, September 15, 1984 12:02 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER DEPARTING RWY 22 AT SANTA PAULA ARPT, THE ACFT FLEW SW ALONG THE SANTA CLARA RIVER + STRUCK A TELEPHONE WIRE 2.6 SM FROM THE RWY END. WITNESSES SAW ACFT FLY LEVEL AT ABOUT 8O FT AGL WITH NORMAL POWER SOUNDS PRIOR TO WIRE CONTACT. THEWIRE STRIKE CAUSED THE INFLIGHT SEPARATION OF THE OUTBOARD LEFT WING PANEL AND THE ACFT IMPACTED IN A MARSHY PORTION OF THE RIVER BED ABOUT 450 FT BEYOND THE WIRE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/15/1984
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1202
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SANTA PAULA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 93060
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SANTA PAULA
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SZP
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 3
Degrees magnetic from airport 204
Airport Elevation 245
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1200 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 205
Weather Observation Facility ID OXR
Elevation of weather observation facility 1146
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 1461
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 4
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3187
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27296
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8279L
NTSB Number LAX84FA481
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-236
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-236
Aircraft Serial Number 288111012
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 13 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 73
Airframe Hours 899
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHRISTOPHER A. KERN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5250 SALE AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City WOODLAND HILLS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91364
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MARK N. BOSS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7646 HAYVENHURST AVENUE
Operator City VAN NUYS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91406
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code SZP
Departure City SANTA PAULA
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VNY
Destination City VAN NUYS
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 22
Runway Length 2650
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --