Cessna 172N accident near Santa Monica, California, April 29, 1993
On April 29, 1993 at about 6:29 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N401KA, was substantially damaged in an accident 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
THAT THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE FLARE AND FAILED TO PROPERLY RECOVER FROM THE ENSUING BOUNCED LANDING. THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 1993 · about 6:29 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
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N401KA · no longer on the register · serial 68937
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT FAILED TO PROPERLY RECOVER FROM A BOUNCED LANDING WHICH SUBSEQUENTLY COLLAPSED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT LANDED LONG WITH 1/3 TO 1/4 OF THE RUNWAY LENGTH REMAINING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS.
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: 557 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 474 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,920 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 2, 1993; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: King Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: AVX Avalon CA at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,987 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 900 ft; not recorded at 900 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from SMO, 1 miles away
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.