Santa Paula Airport, Santa Paula, CA

Location :

History :  In 1928 following the St. Francis Dam disaster a couple of local ranchers decided to dedicate some of the ruined land near the river for an airport.  Thus began the Santa Paula Airport, the first airport in Ventura County.

The neighbors pulled together and built the airport with their own hands.  The dedication in August 1930 included air races, the Goodyear Blimp and many famous aviators of the time.

Santa Paula is renowned for its antique, classic and experimental airplanes and some famous pilots have used the airport, including Charles Lindbergh and Chuck Yeager.

Santa Paula Airport Today:



Airport Services and Amenities:
Special Events:

Airport Area Accident History:
Accident occurred Sunday, September 09, 2007 in Santa Paula, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 11/29/2007
Aircraft: Piper PA-28-140, registration: N1237H
Injuries: 3 Uninjured.
The pilot entered the downwind leg of the traffic pattern to the destination runway. While on approach, the pilot noted the airplane was excessively high, moving at a faster-than-normal airspeed. He attributed the unstabalized approach to be the result of a short downwind leg. The airplane landed hard and bounced. It subsequently veered off the runway surface and collided with a fence, coming to rest on a dirt berm. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The pilot's unstabilized approach, which resulted in a hard, bounced landing. Also causal was the pilot's inadequate recovery from the bounced landing and his failure to maintain directional control.

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Accident occurred Tuesday, September 04, 2007 in Santa Paula, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 7/30/2008
Aircraft: Higher Class Aviation Sport Hornet, registration: N155HC
Injuries: 2 Serious.
The flight instructor and his student were flying a newly manufactured special light sport airplane to the state of Washington. On their initial departure, the engine lost power and they landed straight ahead on the remaining runway. A new fuel flow meter with a restriction had been installed in the airplane. This unit was removed and a ground run up test along with a flight test was performed. They departed at 1700 and flew for approximately 2 hours with no difficulties. A witness said that the airplane was landing on runway 22, and appeared to be "too fast." He said the airplane aborted the landing and during the go-around, the engine began to sputter. The witness said the airplane started a turn back towards the runway when the airplane "spun" into a nearby river. The flight instructor said that when the power loss occurred at approximately 200 to 300 feet above ground level, he took control of the airplane and turned towards an open area to his left.
As he banked, the airplane impacted terrain. Several structural pieces of the fuselage were bent or broken. A post accident examination of the engine identified no abnormalities and the reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.


The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

A loss of engine power during a go-around for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering following the loss of power.

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Accident occurred Sunday, November 24, 2002 in SANTA PAULA, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 7/29/2004
Aircraft: Piper PA-28-161, registration: N2937M
Injuries: 2 Minor, 2 Uninjured.
The airplane collided with an automobile during a forced landing on a road following a loss of engine power on final approach to land at the destination airport. Post-accident investigation revealed 5 to 6 gallons of fuel in the left tank and about 1.5 gallons of fuel in the right tank. The fuel selector was found positioned to the right tank. The operating handbook for the airplane states that during approach and landing, the fuel selector must be checked to ensure it is on the fullest tank.


The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The pilot's failure to follow the checklist and switch the fuel selector to the fullest tank for landing, which resulted in fuel starvation and loss of engine power.

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Accident occurred Friday, June 07, 2002 in SANTA PAULA, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 9/29/2004
Aircraft: Grumman American AA-5B, registration: N13GT
Injuries: 2 Fatal.
The airplane collided with mountainous terrain during the climb to cruise. A witness stated that the airplane departed runway 22 and began a left crosswind turn at an estimated altitude of 300 feet. The airplane continued the left turn to downwind, and it was close to the mountains. The witness lost sight of the airplane due to low clouds. The witness reacquired the airplane for a few seconds when it was abeam the west end of the airport. He could see that the airplane was maintaining a high climb angle, but he became very concerned because the airplane was now even closer to the mountains. The airplane appeared to be angling towards the mountains. He could not see the mountaintops, but he could see a patch of blue sky ahead of the airplane over the mountains. The airplane collided with a 55-degree slope about 200 feet below the crest of a ridgeline that ran in a northeast-southwest direction. In a post accident examinatinon, control continuity was
established and no engine anomalies were noted. A routine aviation weather report for an airport 9 miles west taken 15 minutes prior to the accident reported 800 feet overcast and a visibility of 2 1/2 miles in mist.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

the pilot's attempted VFR flight into instrument conditions and failure to maintain clearance with the terrain.

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Accident occurred Friday, February 22, 2002 in Santa Paula, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 3/2/2004
Aircraft: Cessna 172S, registration: N327ME
Injuries: 1 Minor.
The student pilot landed long, overran the runway's end, and collided with a block wall. The uncontrolled airport was equipped with several windsocks and a free-swinging tetrahedron. However, the student failed to correctly interpret the prevailing wind direction indicators and landed with a 10- to 15-knot tailwind. He was unable to stop before overrunning the runway's end.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The pilot's selection of the wrong landing runway due to his failure to correctly interpret wind indicators, which resulted in his landing with a tailwind.

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Accident occurred Saturday, October 07, 2000 in SANTA PAULA, CA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 5/8/2001
Aircraft: Aeronca 7AC, registration: N707SR
Injuries: 2 Uninjured.
The pilot said he was taxiing his tail wheel equipped aircraft too fast while exiting the runway after landing. His aircraft struck two parked aircraft.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The failure of the pilot to maintain control of the tail wheel equipped aircraft while taxiing due to excessive taxi speed resulting in a collision with parked aircraft.



Santa Paula Airport Approach / Landing: