Piper PA-23 N2027P

Summary

On 8 December 1994 at about 02:11 local time, a Piper PA-23 registered N2027P, operated by John H. Morgan, was involved in an accident near Oxnard, California, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

8 December 1994 at 02:11

Classification

Accident

Location

Oxnard, California, United States

Nearest airport

Oxnard (OXR)

Coordinates

34.1894, -119.1702

Aircraft

Piper PA-23

Registration

N2027P

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

John H. Morgan

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → San Jose

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX95LA045

Nobody was injured.

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

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.