What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
N94838 was in the left traffic pattern (runway 21) at Santa Monica, Ca Airport. The pilot was on the upwind departure leg on his second touch and go. The ATC control tower and witnesses reported that the aircraft touched down 'hard' during the landing phase of the second touch and go and continued down the runway some distance before adding power for the takeoff phase of the touch and go. The aircraft was then observed climbing to 200-300 feet. At this time the pilot called Santa monica tower and said "this is 838, I think I might need to come back directly to the airport". The tower cleared N94838 to land on runway 21. The aircraft appeared to started a left turn and spiraled/spun near vertically into the penmar golf course approximately 1/4 mile from the departure end of runway 21 at Santa monica airport.
As the FAA filed it
N94838 WAS IN THE LEFT TRAFFIC PATTERN (RUNWAY 21) AT SANTA MONICA, CA AIRPORT. THE PILOT WAS ON THE UPWIND DEPARTURE LEG ON HIS SECOND TOUCH AND GO. THE ATC CONTROL TOWER AND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN 'HARD' DURING THE LANDING PHASE OF THE SECOND TOUCH AND GO AND CONTINUED DOWN THE RUNWAY SOME DISTANCE BEFORE ADDING POWER FOR THE TAKEOFF PHASE OF THE TOUCH AND GO. THE AIRCRAFT WAS THEN OBSERVED CLIMBING TO 200-300 FEET. AT THIS TIME THE PILOT CALLED SANTA MONICA TOWER AND SAID "THIS IS 838, I THINK I MIGHT NEED TO COME BACK DIRECTLY TO THE AIRPORT". THE TOWER CLEARED N94838 TO LAND ON RUNWAY 21. THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO STARTED A LEFT TURN AND SPIRALED/SPUN NEAR VERTICALLY INTO THE PENMAR GOLF COURSE APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 21 AT SANTA MONICA AIRPORT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.