The student pilot of the single-engine Cessna 172 that crashed after taking off at Santa Monica Airport on Monday becomes part of an ever growing list of accidents connected to the airport.
The plane, manufactured in 1973, went down at 2:29 p.m. Monday into a home at 21st and Navy.
Since the accident, City of Santa Monica staff has developed multiple approaches to attempt to reduce the impact of the flight schools on the community, according to a City action report released today.
First, City staff will travel to Washington D.C. to meet with FAA officials to discuss flight school operations and safety at SMO.
Flight schools are a prescribed activity under the 1984 agreement. The City alone cannot restrict flight school operations outside of the Santa Monica Municipal Code, Federal Air Regulations or provisions of their respective lease agreements.
Second, City staff has begun a review of flight school leases to ascertain what flexibility we have in relation to their operations.
Third, City staff will meet with flight school operators to discuss strategies to lessen their impact on the community.
The following is a partial list of airplane crashes connected with Santa Monica Airport, based on the National Transportation Safety Board database and newspaper accounts:
6/24/1970 — Former City Councilman Kenneth Wamsley was involved in a fatal crash adjacent to Penmar Golf Course after having taken off from SMO. (Source: Nat Trives)
1978 to 1987 – Eleven “landing off the runway” incidents involving airplanes that used SMO occurred during these years.
Summer of 1980 — Santa Monica Councilman and former Mayor Pieter van den Steenhoven died when his light plane crashed into the ocean.
1/19/1982 — CESSNA 182E – N9255X – LAX82DA043 – Owner/operator T.Dalton — Nonfatal – Upon landing touchdown, the aircraft bounced at high speed and departed the runway. The pilot applied brakes and the aircraft skidded to a halt just before a ditch.
4/10/1982 — PIPER PA-38-112 – N2588D – LAX82DA145 – Owner/operator: California Aviation (SMO) — Nonfatal – During landing, the student pilot allowed the aircraft to bounce. The nose gear buckled and the aircraft skidded off the runway, suffering substantial damage.
7/5/1982 — Beech 60 – N626RP – LAX82FA244 – Owner/operator: R. Phillips — Nonfatal — At 700 feet, the left engine failed, the right engine lost power, and the plane crashed into the ocean about 2,000 yards from the Pier. Lifeguards rescued the pilot when he surfaced.
8/22/1982 – Piper PA-24-250 – N6825P — LAX82FA308 – Owner/operator: K. Jackson — Fatal (1) – The plane departed from SMO for a local flight. The pilot subsequently called from downtown for a landing at SMO. He reported having engine trouble and struck the roof of a house in a densely populated area of Los Angeles, coming to rest on top of two cars. Probable case was that the fuel selector was on the right tank, which was dry. The pilot was killed.
7/21/1983 — CESSNA 172M – N13658 – LAX83LA356 – Owner: J. Krischke. Operator: A & E Flying Club (Hawthorne) — Nonfatal – The plane began to porpoise during landing and suffered substantial damage.
2/18/1984 — BEECH A36 – N9876T – LAX84FA183 – Owner/operator: Grayce Construction — Nonfatal – The plane lost power due to electrical system and mechanical problems; the landing gear didn’t extend.
10/8/1984 — CESSNA 180 – N4932A – LAX85LA022 – Owner/operator: W.Weber (Big Bear) — Nonfatal – The wheels locked up on landing and the aircraft nosed over, suffering substantial damage.
5/4/1985 — BEECH V35A – N4RW – LAX85FA238 – Owner/operator: H. Sanderson — Nonfatal – Upon noting a fuel odor, the pilot returned to the airport. After the plane landed and was turning off the runway, fire erupted, and the plane was badly damaged. The fuel lines, which were supposed to be replaced every 5 years, did not appear to have been replaced.
10/16/1986 – Cessna 172 – N1048F – LAX87MA018 – Owner: C. Plank. Operator: American Flyers (SMO) – Fatal (2) – While returning to SMO during flight training, the plane was diverted when the SMO runway was closed due to a disabled aircraft. Due to a series of air traffic control errors, in overcast weather, the plane hit the mountains in the Altadena area at an assigned altitude of 3,000 ft. The student pilot and the instructor (who had just moved to California from Florida) were killed.
5/17/1987 — CESSNA 182L – N42814 – LAX87FA207 – Owner/operator: T. Robinson — Nonfatal — Losing power shortly after takeoff, the single engine aircraft crashed into 3 cars while trying to land on Rose Avenue in Mar Vista. Inspection showed that the shaft bushing was worn, the maintenance facility had not done a final inspection per FAA guidelines, and the owner had refused to do a recommended major carburetor overhaul because of the quoted price. The the pilot, two passengers, and a motorist were injured.
7/15/87 — Cessna T210L – N7JT – LAX87FA267 – Owner/operator: N. Rubinstein — Fatal (1) — The plane departed from SMO headed for San Jose. Witnesses on a boat saw the aircraft in a steep climb altitude just below the bases of the clouds, followed by rolling over and diving steeply to the ocean off of Marina del Rey. The pilot died.
8/11/87 – Boeing 737 – N754UA – LAX871A304 – Nonfatal — Pilots of an Americans Airline jet reported that a near-collision occurred 2.5 miles east of the Santa Monica VOR. The co-pilot took evasive action and estimated that they passed the unidentified aircraft with about 100 ft of separation.
9/22/1987 — CESSNA 172P – N5366 – LAX87LA349 – Owner: ATE of New York. Operator: American Flyers (SMO) — Nonfatal – The student pilot, on his first supervised solo flight, stated that the aircraft caught a gust of wind and ballooned while he was landing, that he overcorrected, and that the aircraft nosed down into the runway, resulting in substantial damage.
5/10/1989 – Beech 200 — N39YV – LAX89FA192 – Owner/operator: Mesa Airlines (New Mexico) –
Fatal (1) – Two planes, including N39YV, departed SMO on a cross country flight. The 2nd pilot reported that they were around 4,500 feet as they neared the mountains, and that clouds were about 1,000 ft above. The 2nd pilot heard the lead pilot report that he was going up. This was the last known transmission. Two days later, the lead aircraft was found where it had crashed, about 100 ft below the top of a 7,400 ft mountain ridge. The probable cause was improper in-flight planning decision.
7/7/1989 — CESSNA 150M – N704YY – LAX89LA236 – Owner: M. Milleken. Operator: Danforth Aviation (SMO) — Nonfatal – Due to improper installation of the carburetor throttle linkage arm, the engine power dropped to idle as the flight instructor and student pilot were practicing touch-and-go landings and takeoffs. During the descent into a forced landing, the airplane impacted wires and a traffic light pole and ended up on Rose Avenue in Venice. Post accident inspection revealed that the throttle arm had fallen off the carburetor shaft.
7/9/1989 — Cessna 210 – N609AC – LAX89LA233 – Owner/operator: P. Gondal — Nonfatal – On its first flight after annual inspection, the plane lost all engine power and the pilot was forced to land at Hillcrest Country Club in Rancho Park. The cause was an under-torqued oil line fitting, due to its improper installation by maintenance personnel. This resulted in a loose oil line fitting, an oil line leak, oil exhaustion and subsequent failure of the engine. .
8/6/1989 — CESSNA 152 – N95693 – LAX89LA266 – Operator: Gunnell Aviation (SMO) — Nonfatal – During solo flight, the student pilot landed hard, the plane began to porpoise down the runway, with each oscillation growing larger until the nose gear collapsed.
9/2/1989 — World War II vintage P-51 Mustang – N51MR — LAX89FA295 — Nonfatal — (This account is from the blog of the pilot’s sister-in-law.) “Out of the blue, an actual bolt flew off the engine and into the propeller…birds followed. The plane spiraled out of control. The plane rolled, rolled again, and crashed” into a home on Wade St. in Mar Vista. “The two elderly sisters who owned the house were not at home — they were out walking their dog.” The pilot and his co-pilot wife suffered grave injuries.
10/26/1989 — Wheeler Aircraft Co. EXPRESS 100 – N200EX – LAX90DUD01 – Owner/operator: Wheeler Aircraft (Tacoma) — Nonfatal – The experimental aircraft crashed into 3 homes on Greenfield Ave. in West Los Angeles, causing a fire. Probable cause was the mechanical failure of the engine due to the wearing away of the piston pin plug, the connecting rod bearings, and a broken connecting rod. Pilot and passenger injured.
2/26/1990 — REID LONG-EZ – N100PY – LAX90DUD02 – Owner/operator: W. Reid — Fatal (1) – About a half hour after takeoff, the home-built aircraft crashed into the ocean about 4 miles offshore from the Pier in heavy fog. The probable cause was the pilot’s loss of control due to special disorientation. “The tower queried the flight about its position and the pilot responded that ‘Actually, I can’t tell.’ That was the last communication.” The pilot died.
8/4/1990 — Hughes 369D – Nonfatal – The pilot landed the helicopter on the roof of a shopping mall parking structure and exited with the engine running. The helicopter lifted off about 10 feet and rolled over.
2/24/1991 — PIPER PA46-301P – N9132X – LAX91LA112 – Owner/operator: Malibu Air — Nonfatal –
The aircraft crashed into a home on Sherbourne Drive in West Los Angeles while attempting an emergency landing. The pilot had miscalculated the weight of the passengers and baggage (260 pounds over the maximum weight limit), which led to miscalculating the fuel consumption rate. The result was fuel exhaustion and loss of engine power.
10/4/1991 — Cessna 152 – N93839 — Nonfatal (see next entry)
10/4/1991 — Cessna 421C – N5486G – LAX92LA007A – Owner/operator: T. Dalton — Nonfatal – The Cessna 421 pilot looked down as he was approaching the run-up area and taxied into the stopped Cessna 152, which was waiting for takeoff clearance.
1/18/1992 — MOONEY M-20-C – N6481U – LAX92FA094 – Owner/operator: J. Wirgler — Fatal (2) – The Mooney Ranger clipped a utility pole, burst into flames, and ended up in the front yard of a home on Dewey St. at Walgrove in Santa Monica. The probable cause was fuel contamination by water due to failure of the fuel caps to properly seal. The pilot and passenger died.
3/9/1992 — CESSNA 172P – N98662 – LAX92LA140 – Owner: ATE of New York. Operator: American Flyers (SMO) — Nonfatal – On a second supervised solo flight, the student pilot lost control of the plane on the 3rd of 3 landings due to excessive approach airspeed. The plane bounced and porpoised, which damaged the firewall.
9/5/1992 — CESSNA 182A – N54566 – LAX92LA375 – Owner: L. Albright — Nonfatal – Arriving from Agua Dulce, CA, the pilot undershot the runway, causing the plane to nose over onto its back.
4/29/1993 — CESSNA 172N – N401KA – LAX93LA193 – Owner: C. Chrysilious. Operator: King Aviation (Van Nuys) — Nonfatal — The pilot failed to recover from a bounced landing, which subsequently collapsed the nose landing gear. The pilot’s failure to attain a proper touchdown point was a factor.
7/2/1993 — Piper PA-24-180 – N8058P – LAX93LA271 – Owner/operator: L. Briem — Nonfatal — The aircraft crashed into the ocean about 2 miles off of Malibu and sank in 20 feet of water after experiencing a total loss of power. The pilot had executed the emergency procedures and had attempted to restart the engine, but without success. The probable cause was that although the fuel selector valve handle was selected to the right tank, which had 15 gallons of fuel, the valve was positioned toward the left tank, which was empty. The valve shaft displayed extreme wear and was rounded, even though an annual inspection had been performed 16 flight hours before the accident. The pilot was injured.
11/26/1993 — SIAI-MARCHETTI F-260 – N126MJ – LAX94FA058 – Owner: K. Halsey. Operator: R. Belzer — Fatal (3) — The student pilot requested approval from the SMO tower to do a couple 360-degree turns over the Pier. He failed to maintain minimum air speed during a turn, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin. The aircraft crashed into the carport of an apartment building on 4th St. near Bay and burst into flames. Contributing to the accident was improper weight (90 pounds over the gross weight limit), improper balance, inadequate altitude, and inadequate supervision from the instructor. The pilot (the son of filmmaker Sidney Pollack) and 2 passengers died.
12/7/1993 — CESSNA 177RG – N52039 – LAX94LA068 – Owner/operator: W. Stanke — Nonfatal – Witnesses reported that the airplane was traveling at a high airspeed. The plane touched down at midfield and began to bounce. It then overran the runway and went down an embankment.
3/11/1994 — PIPER PA-28-180 – N8129W – LAX94FA159 – Owner/operator: D. Thompson — Fatal (1) — Piper Cherokee aircraft crashed into a home on Barrington Avenue near National. Investigators blamed a loose engine cowling. The engine cowling, improperly fastened after repairs, came loose as the pilot attempted to return to the airport, creating so much wind resistance that the aircraft could no longer fly. The passenger died, and the pilot was injured.
4/20/1994 — PIPER PA-32R-301T – N8171G – LAX94FA198 – Owner: C. Nasif. Operator: P. Brinnon — Fatal (1) – Just after lift-off, witnesses heard the engine sputter several times and then quit. The pilot began a 180-degree right turn, then descended nose-down and struck a utility pole and a residential garage on Ashland Avenue near 23rd. A post-crash fire ensued. The probable cause was fuel starvation resulting from the failure of the pilot to select a tank containing fuel, and his failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering for a forced landing, which resulted in an inadvertent stall. The pilot died on impact. After this accident, the Santa Monica Airport Commission established a Safety Committee, which made 37 recommendations.
11/22/1994 — BEECH 95-B55 – N1898W – LAX95LA040 – Owner: B. Yari. Operator: Cloverfield Aviation — Nonfatal – The instructor and student pilot departed SMO on a cross-country checkout. The instructor knew the aircraft had inaccurate fuel gages. When the aircraft lost power, he glided to the runway with the landing gear retracted. The aircraft was destroyed by the post-crash fire. Probable cause was loss of power in both engines due to fuel starvation cased by the instructor’s miscalculations.
5/7/1995 — DAVENPORT LONG-EZ – N41BF – LAX95LA180 – Owner/operator: W. Davenport — Nonfatal – The home-built experimental aircraft lost power as it approached SMO, snagged power lines, narrowly missed a home, and crashed into a garage in the 13000 block of Warren Avenue in Mar Vista. The pilot was critically injured, with severe head injuries. The probable cause was fuel starvation due to a modification of the fuel system that rendered it incapable of maintaining adequate fuel pressure. This was the first flight following the removal of both fuel pumps by the pilot/owner. The builder/pilot’s lack of understanding of the fuel system was a factor in this accident.
7/13/1995 — MOONEY M-20-M – N200CT – LAX95LA251 – Owner/operator: C. Tabor — Nonfatal – During takeoff roll, the pilot realized he had no airspeed indication, decided to abort the takeoff, skidded off the end of the runway, and the plane caught fire. The probable cause was an improperly installed pitot line to the airspeed indicator.
8/4/1996 – Cessna 421C 00 N6209V – LAX96LA296 – Owner: T. Svadgian (Las Vegas). Operator: S. Badzhaksizyan. Nonfatal – The plane departed from SMO for Avalon. On landing, the airplane “appeared to float” and did not touch down until midfield on the 3,240-ft runway. The pilot was unable to stop in time. The plane went down an embankment, collided with rough terrain, and came to rest about 120 feet SW of the runway’s end. 7 people were injured (4 seriously). Probable cause was the pilot’s failure to initiate a go-around when a landing overshoot became apparent. Factors which contributed to the accident were: the pilot’s excessive airspeed and misjudged distance during landing, his lack of flying experience in the Cessna, and overconfidence in his personal ability. The pilot previously had landed at SMO. According to the FAA, at Santa Monica the airplane touched down about 1,000 feet prior to the end of that 4,957-foot-long runway.
2/7/1997 — Cessna 310Q – N10ML – LAX97LA097 – Owner: Circuitron Corp. Operator: G. Hakman — Nonfatal – After departing SMO for Camarillo, both engines lost power. The pilot made a forced landing on a golf course in Los Angeles, impacting trees. Both fuel selectors were improperly set to the left main tank, which was completely dry.
8/16/1998 – Cessna 177 — N177GS – LAX98FA267 – Nonfatal – Owner/operator: G. Suozzi – The plane departed from Santa Barbara and the engine cased delivering power during the nighttime instrument landing approach to SMO. When they broke out of the clouds, it was apparent to the pilot that the aircraft would not be able to glide to SMO. He maneuvered the aircraft toward a school athletic field (Webster Middle/Junior High School on Sawtelle Blvd. between Pico and National, in West Los Angeles) and made an emergency landing. The aircraft impacted a utility power pole and severed electrical wires prior to landing inverted on the athletic field. Two of the passengers told different witnesses that the aircraft had run out of fuel. Probable cause was the failure of the pilot to accurately determine that an adequate quantity of fuel was aboard the aircraft for the intended flight.
6/16/1999 — Cessna 180K – N181RC – LAX99LA224 – Owner/operator: D. Wheeler — Nonfatal – The pilot reported that he made a steep vertical descent before leveling off and landing on runway 21. A witness said the plane landed hard and porpoised down the runway four times before the left wing hit and the plane ground looped.
7/11/1999 — Rose VELOCITY 173/FG-E – N137V – LAX99LA247 – Owner/operator: R. Flade — Nonfatal — Veer-off while landing – During landing, a strong gust of wind lifted the wing, then the plane bounced and porpoised down the runway. The pilot attempted a go around, but the plane passed over a taxiway, clipped 2 parked planes, crossed another taxiway, and hit a steel hanger door.
9/23/1999 — Cessna 421C – N26585 – LAX99FA310 – Owner/operator: River Transportation LLC — Nonfatal – During the final approach, while executing a VOR-A instrument approach, the land plane landed hard, collided with the runway VASI display, and caught fire. The impact collapsed the landing gear and the airplane slid forward another 1,000 feet down the runway. The probable cause was the failure of the pilot to establish and maintain a stabilized approach.
3/28/2001 — Cessna 172N – N2838E – LAX01FA129 – Owner: Bill Bryan Inc. Operator: Justice Aviation
— Fatal (3) — An inexperienced pilot rented a Cessna 172 from Justice Aviation. The pilot had taken his primary flight lessons from a Texas-based school and he was, by his own admission, not familiar with flying around marine cloud layers. On a dark, moonless night, while flying over the ocean, the pilot initiated a turn away from the city lights and commenced descending with a vertical descent rate of over 2,100 feet per minute. A witness 1 mile away reported that the plane looked as though it was falling straight into the water. The probable cause was the pilot’s loss of airplane control while maneuvering due to spatial disorientation. Contributing factors were the dark night, the marine cloud layer that restricted the pilot’s cruising altitude, and the pilot’s lack of familiarity with nighttime flight over the ocean. The pilot and 2 passengers died.
11/13/2001 — Cessna 340A – N2RR – LAX02FA028 – Owner/operator: R. Runyon — Fatal (2) — Witnesses reported observing the airplane traveling along the runway at an unusually high speed, with normal engine sound, but without becoming airborne, followed by an abrupt reduction in engine power and the sound of screeching tires. Skid marks were present on the last 1,000 feet of the runway. The plane vaulted an embankment, impacted a guardrail on an airport service road 30 feet below, near 23rd St., and burst into flames. The probable cause was the pilot’s failure to remove the control gust lock prior to takeoff, and his failure to abort the takeoff with sufficient runway remaining to stop the plane on the runway. Both the pilot and passenger died.
2/3/2002 – Beech 95-B55 – N9DD – LAX02LA076 — Nonfatal – The twin engine plane, piloted by the owner, took off from SMO. It lost power in both engines and landed short of the Hi Desert Airport runway in an unprepared field near homes in Joshua Tree. The main tanks each had 23 gallons of fuel and the fuel selector valve handles were in the main tank position. (Source: aircrashed.com)
6/6/2003 – Beech A36TC – N1856P – LAX03FA182 – Owner/operator: J. Siegel — Fatal (5) — The aircraft took off from SMO, headed for Las Vegas, but crashed into a 3-story apartment building at 601 N. Spalding Drive, near Fairfax High School. It collided with the roof and came to rest in a subterranean parking area. A post-impact fire destroyed the plane. Probable cause was the pilot’s in-flight loss of control due to spatial orientation and failure to maintain airspeed, which resulted in a stall/spin. Also causal was the pilot’s disregard of the weather information provided and his attempt to continue VFR flight into IMC. The pilot did not hold an instrument rating. The pilot and passengers had been at the airport for at least 8 hours, waiting for weather conditions to clear. The pilot, 3 passengers, and a resident of the apartment building died. There were also 7 serious injuries on the ground.
3/16/2004 – Mooney M20K – N1148V – LAX04FA162 – Owner/operators: P. Tobias & H. Kilpatrick — Fatal (2) – During an attempted missed approach in heavy fog, the aircraft crashed into a Mar Vista home. The accident occurred while the pilot was returning home following a vacation. As the pilot approached the airport, a fog bank moved in and the local weather conditions deteriorated. Near the time that the pilot received his instrument approach clearance, the visibility decrease to ½ mile, and the ceiling lowered to 200 feet above ground level; however, that information was not disseminated to the pilot by either the control tower or approach controller, contrary to FAA internal directives. The radar showed the airplane making 360-degree turns about ½ mile from the runway until descending, with what ground witnesses described as increasingly steep angles of bank, into a house. Probable cause was the pilot’s loss of airplane control while maneuvering due to spatial disorientation. Contributing factors were the low ceiling, reduced visibility (fog), and the pilot’s lack of instrument flying currency. The pilot, who-owned the plane, and his wife died.
12/4/2004 — Piper PA-28-181 – N253D – LAX05CA043 – Operated by Justice Aviation — Nonfatal – Flown by a student pilot, the plane failed to touch down and, about halfway down the runway, continued to float. When it finally touched down, the instructor applied the brakes, turned right to avoid a ditch, and overran the runway. The probable cause was inadequate supervision, inadequate compensation for tailwind conditions, and delayed remedial action.
3/13/2006 — Beech A36 – N16JR – LAX06FA129 – Owners: Carlin & Tomarken. Operator: P. Tomarken
— Fatal (2) – The engine lost power during the takeoff-initial climb. The pilot tried to return to the airport, then planned to attempt to land on the beach, and ended up ditching into the ocean, where the plane sank in 20 feet of water. Probable cause was the failure of an aviation maintenance technician to properly torque and cotter pin the number 2 connecting rod bolts at their attach point to the crankshaft, which resulted in separation in flight and complete power loss. The pilot (game show host Peter Tomarken) and his wife died. The Tomarkens, who were volunteers with Angel Flight West, a non-profit organization that provides free transportation to needy medical patients, were enroute to San Diego to pick a cancer patient who needed transportation to UCLA Medical Center.
8/31/2007 – Lancair Company LC41-550FG – N2520P – SEA07FA247 – Owner/operator: A. Pasori — Fatal (6) — After departing from SMO, the plane crashed near Kern Valley Airport. A witness at the airport stated that, after aborting a first landing attempt, the plane began a left turn, followed by its nose dropping straight down before impacting terrain and bursting into flames. The airplane was completely destroyed by the post-impact fire. Subsequent to purchasing the plane, the pilot had received Lancair training from a certified flight instructor who was neither factory trained, nor a Lancair/Columbia factory trained instructor. The plane, which was designed for pilot and 3 passengers, was 65 lbs over the maximum takeoff weight and 85 lbs over maximum landing weight, and was carrying 6 persons. All 6 aboard died (4 adults and 2 children).
1/13/2008 — DeSousa Jabiru J400 – N522RJ – SEA08LA060 – Owner/operator: R. de Sousa — Nonfatal
— The private pilot of the home-built aircraft stated that the airplane touched down beyond the midpoint of the runway. The brakes failed, and the plane overran the runway and collided with a ditch. The probable cause was the pilot’s failure to attain the proper touchdown point and the loss of the wheel brake system.
10/7/2008 — Iniziative Industriali Italian Sky Arrow 600 Sport – N454SA – WPRO9FA005 – Owner/operator: Northfield Aviation LLC (SMO) — Fatal (1) — Witnesses observed the plane flying low over the water, and then, while it was making a steep left turn, they saw it nose over and impact the ocean off Malibu and sink. The student pilot and instructor, who suffered critical injuries, were flown by helicopter to UCLA Medical Center. The instructor died on 10/24/08.
1/28/2009 — SIAI-MARCHETTI SF-260C – N688C – WPRO9FA102 – Owner: Wingspan Inc. Operator:
P. Emmanuelle — Fatal (2) — The single engine plane lost power during takeoff, crashed on the west end of the runway, and burst into flames. The probable cause was the pilot’s failure to select the proper fuel tank for takeoff, which resulted in a loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control while attempting a return to runway maneuver. The pilot, who was the general manager of the Airliners.net website, and his passenger both died.
8/2/2009 — Davenport DAVE-EZ – NTCE – WPR09LA309 – Owner/operator: W. Davenport — Nonfatal — The aircraft experienced engine failure after takeoff. The pilot attempted to turn back to land but crashed on the taxiway and suffered serious injuries. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.
7/1/2010 — Cessna 152 – N94838 – WPR10FA325 Owner: Kim Davidson Aviation (an FAA Certificated Repair Station at SMO). Operator: Justice Aviation — Fatal (1) – During the takeoff climb following a touch-and-go landing, the pilot communicated with a tower controller that he needed to return to the airport for landing, but did not indicate the type of problem. Witnesses observed the airplane make a 90-=degree left turn and enter into a spiraling nose-dive. The airplane subsequently impacted a copse of trees near the 8th hole of the Penmar Golf Course. The pilot died. Probable cause was the pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and airplane control during initial climb, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin and subsequent impact with the ground.
7/2/2010 – Beech E-55 – N3644A 00 WPR10LA347 – Owner: Kian Aviation. Operator: K. Heknat – Nonfatal – After departing from SMO, the aircraft flew to Las Vegas. On approach to McCarran International Airport (LAS), the pilot reported that the airplane experienced a total electrical failure. During landing rollout, the nose gear collapsed, followed by the collapse of both main landing gear. The plane suffered substantial damage.
3/10/11 — Piper PA-280R-200 – N75224 – WPR11LA160 – Owner: Justice Aviation or East Pole Aviation LLC. Operator: Justice Aviation. Nonfatal – After the plane lost power, the instructor from Justice Aviation took over from the student pilot. Despite numerous attempts to regain engine power, the instructor was unsuccessful, and he was forced to land in a field near Agoura Hills.
8/29/2011 — Cessna 172 – Owner: Justice Aviation — Nonfatal — The pilot, after 40 hours of instruction, attempted to land at SMO and was instructed to go around. The plane crashed into the side of a house at 21st and Navy in Santa Monica. The pilot and one person on the ground were injured.
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