Santa Monica Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Santa Monica, California 90405
Sunday, August 2, 2009 14:45 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that after taking off, the airplane's engine lost power. While attempting to return to the departure runway the engine would intermittently start, then lose power. As the pilot maneuvered the airplane to final in a rapid descent the engine started again, followed by the pilot losing control of the airplane and impacting the runway at about a 45-degree angle in a nose low, left wing down attitude. The airplane came to rest in an upright position. Post-examination of the engine revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction that would have prevented the engine from developing power. The reason for the loss of engine power was not determined.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the forced landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/2/2009
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1445
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Santa Monica
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 90405
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 340112N
Event Location Longitude 1182649W
Event Location Airport Santa Monica Municipal Airport
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 --
Airport Elevation 177
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1451 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID SMO
Elevation of weather observation facility 177
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 16
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.96
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 26574
NTSB Notification Source Regional Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 9 2010 3:19PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7CE
NTSB Number WPR09LA380
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 Davenport
Aircraft Model DAVE-EZ
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 99
Certified Max Gross Weight 1200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
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 Conditional
Date of Last Inspection Jul 1 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name William A Davenport
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Los Angeles
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90066
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name William A Davenport
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Los Angeles
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 90066
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 1445
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code SMO
Destination City Santa Monica
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 29 2010 6:49PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 21
Runway Length 4973
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --