Santa Monica Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Monica, California 90405
Sunday, May 17, 1987 14:43 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT LOST POWER DURING INITIAL CLIMB AND CRASHED ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET DURING AN ATTEMPTED FORCED LANDING. THE THROTTLE ARM WAS FOUND SEPARATED FROM THE THROTTLE SHAFT. THE ARM HAD BEEN REPLACED 19 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. EXAMINATION OF THE CARBURETOR REVEALED THAT THE SHAFT BUSHING WAS WORN AND LOOSE AND THAT THE JAWS OF THE NEW ARM WERE CLOSED COMPLETELY BUT PRODUCING NO CLAMPING ACTION. SUBSEQUENT TESTS OF THE ARM AND SHAFT REVEALED THAT THE ARM WOULD SLIP EASILY ON AND OFF THE SHAFT. TESTS ALSO ESTABLISHED THAT THE RECOMMENDED METHOD OF SAFETY WIRING THE ARM TO THE SHAFT DID NOT RETAIN THE ARM ON THE SHAFT. THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY DID NOT PERFORM THE FINAL INSPECTION IN ACCORDANCE WITH THEIR OWN FAA APPROVED REPAIR STATION MANUAL. THE MAINTENANCE FACILITY HAD RECOMMENDED A MAJOR CARBURETOR OVERHAUL TO THE PLT/OWNER BUT HE REFUSED BECAUSE OF THE QUOTED PRICE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/17/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1443
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SANTA MONICA
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90405
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SANTA MONICA
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 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 190
Airport Elevation 175
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1446 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID SMO
Elevation of weather observation facility 175
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 21
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 800
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2520
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 17 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1510
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 37177
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N42814
NTSB Number LAX87FA207
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 182L
Aircraft Series Identifier 182L
Aircraft Serial Number 18259201
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 18 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 54
Airframe Hours 2645
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name TOM A. ROBINSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 806 JACON WAY
Aircraft Owner City POCIFIC PALISAD
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90272
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code SMD
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1439
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
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 --