Piper PA-28-180 accident near Los Angeles, California, March 12, 1994
On March 12, 1994 at about 2:49 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N8129W, was destroyed in an accident near Los Angeles, California (Santa Monica Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the upper engine compartment cowl to remain attached to the lower cowl during initial climb as a result of inadequate maintenance and replacement practices by the aircraft owner.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 1994 · about 2:49 am local time
- Place
- Los Angeles, California · Santa Monica Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N8129W · registry record · serial 28-2239
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING INITIAL CLIMB AT 300 FEET AGL, THE UPPER COWL RAISED UP BETWEEN 1 AND 2 INCHES. THE PILOT REPORTED HE STAYED IN THE PATTERN. ON BASE LEG, THE UPPER COWL DISLODGED FURTHER FROM THE ACFT AND PRODUCED DRAG. UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE, A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE DURING WHICH THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES AND HOMES 1/2 MILE FROM THE RUNWAY. PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT, WHO OWNED THE ACFT AND WHO WORKED AS AN A & P MECHANIC, HAD REMOVED AND PARTIALLY REPLACED THE ENGINE COWL. A FRIEND OF THE PILOT, WHO ALSO HELD AN A & P CERTIFICATE AND WAS A PILOT, ASSISTED BY PLACING THE LEFT SIDE OF THE UPPER COWL BACK ON THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE SURVIVING PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD NOT OBSERVED THE PILOT-RATED PASSENGER PHYSICALLY SECURE THE LEFT SIDE OF THE UPPER COWL TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. DURING THE WRECKAGE EXAM, ALL OF THE FIRE-DAMAGED COWL STRUCTURE WAS FOUND AT THE CRASH SITE EXCEPT FOR THE TWO FORWARD-POINTED UPPER COWL ENGAGEMENT PINS AND THEIR SUPPORTING STRUCTURE. ALSO NOT FOUND WAS THE NYLON GROMMET/BUSHING WHICH NORMALLY WAS SEATED IN THE LOWER COWL'S LEFT SIDE FORWARD PLATE ASSEMBLY.
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: 321 hours in all; 233 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 280 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,584 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 13, 1994; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SMO Santa Monica CA at 2:45 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,987 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am 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.