Cessna 177RG accident near Santa Monica, California, December 7, 1993
On December 7, 1993 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N52039, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Monica, California (Santa Monica Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT AND IMPROPER RECOVERY FROM A BOUNCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 1993 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Monica, California · Santa Monica Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N52039 · no longer on the register · serial 177RG-1147
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN AT MIDFIELD AND BEGAN TO BOUNCE. WITNESSES REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WAS TRAVELING AT A HIGH AIRSPEED. AFTER ARRESTING THE BOUNCED LANDING, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE AIRPLANE ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE RUNWAY AND WENT DOWN AN ENBANKMENT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 603 hours in all; 602 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 526 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,403 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 8, 1992; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O04 Carson City NV at 6:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 4,987 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:05 pm from SMO
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.