Santa Monica Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Monica, California 90405
Tuesady, November 13, 2001 18:36 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During an aborted nighttime takeoff, the airplane continued off the end of the 4,987-foot-long runway, vaulted an embankment, and impacted a guardrail on an airport service road 30 feet below. According to the manufacturer's pilot operating handbook, the takeoff distance required for the ambient conditions was 1,620 feet and the accelerate-stop distance was 2,945 feet. Several witnesses reported observing the airplane traveling along the runway at an unusually high speed, with normal engine sound, and 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. In the wreckage, the gust lock/control lock was found engaged in the pilot's control column.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

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 airplane on the runway.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/13/2001
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1836
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Santa Monica
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90405
Event Date Year 2001
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 On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 215
Airport Elevation 175
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1751 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 35
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 PST
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 15
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.1
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 13250
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Nov 13 2001 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1850
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 23 2003 12:26PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Los Angeles, California

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2RR
NTSB Number LAX02FA028
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 340A
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 340A0643
Certified Max Gross Weight 5990
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 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 27 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 68
Airframe Hours 1036
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Richard C. Runyon
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Los Angeles
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90049
Operator is an individual? No
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? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 SMO
Departure City Santa Monica
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1835
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code VNY
Destination City Van Nuys
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff - aborted
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Mar 7 2003 5:25PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 4987
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --