Santa Monica Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Monica, California 90404
Friday, November 26, 1993 10:42 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The student pilot contacted a qualified commercial pilot and asked if he would fly with him. The first pilot declined, but the student's instructor was available. The aircraft departed westbound and the pilot requested approval from the tower to do a couple of 360-degree turns over the Santa Monica Pier. The tower observed the airplane at 800 feet msl in a left turn. Shortly thereafter, the airplane crashed into a residential area about 2 miles from the airport. Witnesses observed the airplane about 800 feet msl in steep-banked yawing left turns when it abruptly descended. The airplane was over gross weight by about 90 pounds and about 1 inch aft of the most rearward allowable CG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the dual student pilot's failure to maintain minimum air speed in flight which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin. Contributing to the accident was the improper weight and balance, inadequate altitude, and inadequate supervision.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/26/1993
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1042
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SANTA MONICA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90404
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SANTA MONICA MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SMO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 240
Airport Elevation 175
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1046 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 65
Weather Observation Facility ID SMO
Elevation of weather observation facility 175
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 360
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1986
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 26 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1050
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N126MJ
NTSB Number LAX94FA058
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name SIAI-MARCHETTI
Aircraft Model F-260
Aircraft Series Identifier F-260
Aircraft Serial Number 2-46
Certified Max Gross Weight 2430
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 8 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 98
Airframe Hours 5171
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name KIETH D. HALSEY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 211 JENNIFER LANE
Aircraft Owner City COTTONWOOD
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 86326
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROY A. BELZER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 4327 LE BOURGET AVE
Operator City CULVER CITY
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90232
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1037
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
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 3
Runway Length 4987
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --