Beech 60 accident near Santa Monica, California, July 5, 1982
On July 5, 1982 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Beech 60, registered N726RP, was destroyed in an accident near Santa Monica, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 1982 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Monica, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 60 · all 60s on the register
- Registration
- N726RP · no longer on the register · serial P65
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT ABOUT 700 FT MSL THE PLT REPORTED TO SANTA MONICA TOWER THAT HIS LEFT ENG HAD FAILED. HE IMMEDIATELY FEATHERED THE LEFT PROP & CONTINUED TO CLIMB, PLANNING TO ATTEMPT A RESTART BEFORE RETURNING TO LAND. AT ABOUT 1,000 FT MSL THE PILOT DETERMINED THAT THE ACFT WAS NO LONGER CLIMBING. HIS AIRSPEED WAS BELOW THE SINGLE ENG BEST RATE OF CLIMB SPEED & HE FELT A POWER LOSS IN THE RIGHT ENG. HE PUT THE NOSE DOWN & FEATHERED THE RIGHT PROP. THE ACFT STRUCK THE WATER 2,000 YDSFROM THE SANTA MONICA PIER. LIFE GUARDS WERE ON THE SCENE WITH A RESCUE BOAT WHEN THE PLT SURFACED.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,407 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 125 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,843 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,775 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-541 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Santa Monica CA at 11:58 am
- Destination: C Oceano CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 171°F (77°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.