What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N688C, a sai marchetti 260-C certificated as an experimental exhibition aircraft operating under FAR part 91, crashed on departure from runway 21 at the Santa Monica Municipal Airport, (smo) after a complete loss of engine power. The power loss occurred at an altitude of approximately 300 ft. initial post accident, and a more detailed investigation of the fuel selector valve during the salvage operation, gives evidence that the pilot (may have) neglected to select either of the main fuel tanks which were reported as being full of fuel. The fuel tank selector valve appears to be selected for the right wing tip tank for a fuel supply which held a minimal quantity of fuel. Both main fuel tanks ruptured upon impact resulting in a severe post crash fire. The fire was extinguished by the airport fire department. Witnesses described the pilot as attempting to turn back to the runway following the loss of power. Witnesses state that the bank and initial dive angle of the aircraft approached 80 degrees before the pilot lost control of the aircraft. Plans are to being made to remove the valve in question for a thorough inspection to determine which fuel tank was feeding the engine. The investigation continues.
As the FAA filed it
N688C, A SAI MARCHETTI 260-C CERTIFICATED AS AN EXPERIMENTAL EXHIBITION AIRCRAFT OPERATING UNDER FAR PART 91, CRASHED ON DEPARTURE FROM RUNWAY 21 AT THE SANTA MONICA MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, (SMO) AFTER A COMPLETE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE POWER LOSS OCCURRED AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 300 FT. INITIAL POST ACCIDENT, AND A MORE DETAILED INVESTIGATION OF THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE DURING THE SALVAGE OPERATION, GIVES EVIDENCE THAT THE PILOT (MAY HAVE) NEGLECTED TO SELECT EITHER OF THE MAIN FUEL TANKS WHICH WERE REPORTED AS BEING FULL OF FUEL. THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR VALVE APPEARS TO BE SELECTED FOR THE RIGHT WING TIP TANK FOR A FUEL SUPPLY WHICH HELD A MINIMAL QUANTITY OF FUEL. BOTH MAIN FUEL TANKS RUPTURED UPON IMPACT RESULTING IN A SEVERE POST CRASH FIRE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE AIRPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT. WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE PILOT AS ATTEMPTING TO TURN BACK TO THE RUNWAY FOLLOWING THE LOSS OF POWER. WITNESSES STATE THAT THE BANK AND INITIAL DIVE ANGLE OF THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED 80 DEGREES BEFORE THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. PLANS ARE TO BEING MADE TO REMOVE THE VALVE IN QUESTION FOR A THOROUGH INSPECTION TO DETERMINE WHICH FUEL TANK WAS FEEDING THE ENGINE. THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.