Siai-Marchetti F-260 accident near Santa Monica, California, November 26, 1993
On November 26, 1993 at about 6:42 pm local time, a Siai-Marchetti F-260, registered N126MJ, was destroyed in an accident near Santa Monica, California (Santa Monica Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the dual student pilot's failure to maintain minimum air speed in flight which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin. Contributing to the accident was the improper weight and balance, inadequate altitude, and inadequate supervision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 26, 1993 · about 6:42 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Monica, California · Santa Monica Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Siai-Marchetti F-260
- Registration
- N126MJ · no longer on the register · serial 2-46
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot contacted a qualified commercial pilot and asked if he would fly with him. The first pilot declined, but the student's instructor was available. The aircraft departed westbound and the pilot requested approval from the tower to do a couple of 360-degree turns over the Santa Monica Pier. The tower observed the airplane at 800 feet msl in a left turn. Shortly thereafter, the airplane crashed into a residential area about 2 miles from the airport. Witnesses observed the airplane about 800 feet msl in steep-banked yawing left turns when it abruptly descended. The airplane was over gross weight by about 90 pounds and about 1 inch aft of the most rearward allowable CG.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,171 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 8, 1993; 98 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,430 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 4,987 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:46 pm from SMO, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.