Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Santa Monica Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Santa Monica, California 90405
Monday, August 29, 2011 14:27 PDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The student pilot reported that shortly after liftoff, the airspeed indicator needle showed an increase and then a decrease to zero. He realized that the airplane’s airspeed indicator was not operational and advised the air traffic control tower controller. As the pilot returned to land at the airport, the airplane was higher than normal above the runway surface. With a quarter of the runway remaining, the airplane had not touched down. The air traffic control tower controller advised the pilot to go around. The pilot initiated a go-around; however, the airplane impacted trees and a house. The student pilot, as well as his flight instructor, reported that his flight instruction did not include operations simulating a loss of airspeed indication. Although the student pilot reported checking the pitot tube prior to departure, postaccident examination of the airplane’s pitot tube showed that debris, consistent with soil and insect material, was present between the ram air inlet and the drain hole. This resulted in the airspeed indicator showing zero airspeed. Review of the air traffic control services related to the accident revealed that they did not cause or contribute to the accident. The local controller’s actions were reasonable and in accordance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Order 7110.65, “Air Traffic Control”: the local controller handled the situation in accordance with his best judgment based on his perceptions and understanding of the situation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The student pilot’s misjudged approach and landing attempt. Contributing to the accident was a lack of airspeed due to a blocked pitot tube.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/29/2011 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1427 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Daylight Time |
| Event City | Santa Monica |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 90405 |
| Event Date Year | 2011 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 340033N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1182734W |
| 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 | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 177 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1427 Pacific Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 50 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SMO |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 177 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| 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) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 210 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 8 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.81 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KSMO 292051Z COR VRB06KT 10SM CLR 21/16 A2982 |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | 2 |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30785 |
| NTSB Notification Source | AWP 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 | Jan 25 2013 10:42AM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5155Q |
| NTSB Number | WPR11FA415 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | CESSNA |
| Aircraft Model | 172M |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17261768 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2300 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Aug 5 2011 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 27 |
| Airframe Hours | 8227 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | C91 |
| Aircraft Owner Name | PLANEMINDER LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | VENICE |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 90291-3820 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Justice Aviation |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Santa Monica |
| Operator State | CA |
| Operator Country | USA |
| 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 | -- |
| 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 | Santa Monica |
| Departure State | CA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1423 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | SBA |
| Destination City | Santa Barbara |
| Destination State | CA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Nov 30 2012 12:48AM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 21 |
| Runway Length | 4973 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |