Cessna 180 accident near Santa Monica, California, October 8, 1984
On October 8, 1984 at about 4:31 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N4932A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Monica, California (Santa Monica airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- October 8, 1984 · about 4:31 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Monica, California · Santa Monica · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N4932A · registry record · serial 32329
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT REPROTED, DESCENT MADE TO MDA OF 740 FT MSL AND VISUAL CONTACT MADE WITH RWY 1/2 MILE EAST OF ARPT. SLIPPED ACFT TO WITHIN 200 FT OF RWY AND MADE A WHEEL LANDING MIDFIELD. BOTH WHEELS LOCKED UP AND ACFT NOSED OVER. PLT STATED, 'I MAY HAVE HAD MY FEET ON THE BRAKES ON TOUCHDOWN.' REPORTED SURFACE WX 3 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT WAS BELOW APCH MINIMUMS.
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
- Flight time: 1,967 hours in all; 345 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,863 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,989 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 5, 1984; 235 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: L35 Big Bear City CA at 3:45 pm
- Destination: SMO Santa Monica CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 4,987 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:34 pm from SMO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.