Swearingen SA227 TT accident near Santa Monica, California, March 12, 2017
On March 12, 2017 at about 7:24 pm local time, a 1981 Swearingen SA227 TT, registered N53DA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Santa Monica, California (Santa Monica Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s unstabilized approach after encountering wake turbulence, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 2017 · about 7:24 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Monica, California · Santa Monica Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Swearingen SA227 TT TT, built 1981 · all SA227 TTs on the register
- Registration
- N53DA · no longer on the register · serial TT-438
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while on short final following a jet airplane, the airplane "encountered turbulence that induced significant rolling." He added that the airplane "was not able to completely re-establish a stabilized approach prior to touching down." Subsequently, the airplane touched down "more firm than usual." The pilot taxied the airplane to the ramp without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Aircraft wake turb encounter during approach
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Wake turbulence › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,900 hours in all; 410 in this make and model; 102 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 4,700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 13, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 12
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Airesearch TPE331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Airesearch TPE331 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PSP Palm Springs CA at 6:51 pm
- Destination: SMO Santa Monica CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 4,973 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from KSMO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on December 6, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 13 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Roc_clint Crookshanks (NTSB Aerospace Engineer) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.