Ostroth Thane L COZY MK IV accident near Half Moon Bay, CA
On January 15, 2024, an Ostroth Thane L COZY MK IV (airplane) was involved in an accident near Half Moon Bay, CA. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- January 15, 2024
- Place
- Half Moon Bay, CA
- Aircraft
- Ostroth Thane L COZY MK IV · Airplane
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 37.502°N, 122.510°W
- NTSB ID
- 20240115193662
Official records · WPR24FA073
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Liveatc Ctaf Recording - Haf - 1900 Pdt: Audio recording (MP3), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn January 14, 2024, about 1905 Pacific standard time, an experimental amateur-built Cozy MK IV airplane, N656TE, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Half Moon Bay, California. The pilot and two passengers were fatally injured and one passenger is presumed to be fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. A witness reported that while dining outside, north of the Half Moon Bay Airport (HAF), she heard the airplane and saw it shortly after. The witness said that the sound of the engine was similar to the sound of coughing, and that the airplane appeared to increase in speed while it was “dipping and turning.” The witness stated that the engine “cut out” and the airplane appeared to have banked toward the shoreline. Shortly thereafter she lost sight of the airplane’s lights. Review of ADS-B derived data, provided by commercially available source, showed that the airplane departed runway 30 at HAF and entered a left turn just beyond the departure end of the runway. The airplane ascended to a maximum altitude of 250 ft msl, with groundspeeds fluctuating between 87 and 91 knots. The last recorded data point was recorded about 4,900 ft north of where wreckage was observed floating in the Pacific Ocean. Review of a commercially available source of recorded common traffic advisory frequency communications revealed no radio transmissions from the pilot or any distress calls before, around, or after the time of the accident. Figure 1: ADS-B Flight Overlay with Wreckage Locations A wi
Probable cause
The airplane’s impact with the ocean for undetermined reasons after departing into night, instrument meteorological conditions.
More accidents in CA
- Douglas MD-83, Feb 1, 2000
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9-32, Aug 31, 1986
- British Aerospace BAE-146-200, Dec 8, 1987
- Beech C-99, Aug 24, 1984
- Sikorsky S-61N, Aug 6, 2008
Browse: California
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
