# Accident 20090128001369A: Mrchti SF260C, Santa Monica, CA, January 28, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 28, 2009, 17:06 local time
- Place: Santa Monica, CA
- Airport: Santa Monica Municipal
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.6622° N, 118.4561° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.6622&lon=-118.4561&mi=10
- Aircraft: N688C, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N688C-2017-02-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Siai-Marchetti SF-260C (registry code 8121212, https://openairdocs.org/model/siai-marchetti-sf-260c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-540 series (registry code 41530, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: MRCHTI SF260C
- Reported engine: LYC IO540D4A5
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,400 total, 20 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR09FA102](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA102) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090128001369A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR09FA102](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09FA102), Jan 29, 2009: Siai-Marchetti SF-260C (N688C), Santa Monica, CA, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to select the proper fuel tank for takeoff, which resulted in a loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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