Extra Flugzeugbau GMBH EA 300/L accident near Santa Monica, California, January 3, 2021
On January 3, 2021, a 2000 Extra Flugzeugbau GMBH EA 300/L, registered N52NL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Santa Monica, California (Santa Monica Muni 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a ground-loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 2021
- Place
- Santa Monica, California · Santa Monica Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Extra Flugzeugbau GMBH EA 300/L, built 2000 · all EA 300/Ls on the register
- Registration
- N52NL · registry record · serial 109
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of a tailwheel equipped airplane reported that, during the landing roll, his foot “popped off” the rudder pedal and the airplane ground loop to the left. The left main landing collapsed, the left wing impacted the runway surface and came to rest on the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left aileron. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 991 hours in all; 186 in this make and model; 98 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 810 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 13, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 912 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 27, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 2,095 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540 SER (piston); 912 hours total
- Operator: Marauder Aviation LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from KSMO
Weather report (METAR): KSMO 030051Z AUTO 25004KT 10SM CLR 13/10 A3022 RMK AO2 SLP233 T01330100
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR21LA076.