Santa Monica Muni Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Monica, California 90405
Sunday, August 6, 1989 12:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT'S INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI), THE LESSON BEGAN AS A DUAL SESSION, THEN THE STUDENT TOOK OFF ON A SOLO FLIGHT TO MAKE THREE SUPERVISED SOLO LANDINGS. THE STUDENT'S SOLO TRAFFIC PATTERN WAS NORMAL THROUGH A SHORT FINAL APPROACH. THE CFI NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A 'FLAT ATTITUDE' AND WAS 'MAYBE SLIGHTLY SLOW' AS IT CROSSED OVER THE THRESHOLD. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT LANDED HARD ON ALL THREE LANDING GEAR AND BEGAN TO PORPOISE DOWN THE RUNWAY WITH EACH OSCILLATION GROWNING LARGER. ON THE FINAL OSCILLATION, THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE STUDENT PILOT'S IMPROPER FLARE AND RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/6/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1230
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SANTA MONICA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90405
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport SANTA MONICA MUNI
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SMO
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 175
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1230 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SMO
Elevation of weather observation facility 175
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1654
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 6 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1426
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40559
Date of most recent change to record May 4 2006 3:35PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N95693
NTSB Number LAX89LA266
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 152
Aircraft Series Identifier 152
Aircraft Serial Number 15285959
Certified Max Gross Weight 1680
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 0
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name UNKNOWN
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name GUNNELL AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3100 DONALD DOUGLASS LOOP N.
Operator City SANTA MONICA
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 90405
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SMO
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1145
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code SMO
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 4 2006 3:35PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 4987
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --