# Accident 20110829022859A: Cessna 172M, Santa Monica, CA, August 29, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 29, 2011, 14:32 local time
- Place: Santa Monica, CA
- Airport: Santa Monica
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.0092° N, 118.4594° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0092&lon=-118.4594&mi=10
- Aircraft: N5155Q, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N5155Q-2017-07-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172M (registry code 2072418, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172m) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172M
- Reported engine: LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 3
- Pilot certificates: Student
- Pilot flight hours: 47 total, 47 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR11FA415](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11FA415) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110829022859A

## Narrative

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

AIRMAN MADE A NORMAL TAKEOFF FROM SANTA MONICA AIRPORT (SMO) AND ROTATED AT NORMAL SPEED.  FIVE TO SEVEN SECONDS LATER SUDDENLY THE AIRCRAFT AIRSPEED INDICATOR DISPLAYED HIGH AIRSPEED ON THE INDICATOR (MOMENTARILY) AND THEN FAILED AND WENT TO (AND REMAINED) AT ZERO AIRSPEED.AIRMAN ADVISED SMO TOWER THAT HIS AIRSPEED INDICATOR DID NOT SEEM TO BE WORKING. TOWER CLEARED THE AIRSPACE AND GAVE HIM CLEARANCE TO LAND.  AIRMAN FLEW A NORMAL DOWNWIND PATTERN BUT TURNED EARLY FOR BASE.  AIRMAN WAS HIGH ON ALTITUDE AND FAST PASSING THE SMO TOWER.  AIRMAN CONTINUED TO FLY DOWN THE RUNWAY AND STATED HE FELT HE WAS IN POSITION TO LAND SUCESSFULLY AROUND THE INTERSECTION OF TAXIWAY A1 & B1 WITH SMO RUNWAY21.  AT APPROXIMATELY THAT POINT, TOWER TRANSMITTED: "CLIMB NOW.  GO AROUND".  UPON RECEIVING THIS TRANSMISSION FROM ATC, THE AIRMAN RESPONDED IMMEDIATELY.   HE RAISED FLAPS FROM 20 TO ZERO DEGREES AND THEN ADDED POWER (WRONG SEQUENCE OF EVENTS FOR GO-AROUND PROCEDURE).  AIRMAN SAW POWERLINES IN FRONT OF HIM AND RAISED THE NOSE TO AVOID.  SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT STALLED AND DESCENDED HITTING A RESIDENCE IN THE SANTA MONICA NEIGHBORHOOD.

## 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 WPR11FA415](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11FA415), Aug 29, 2011: Cessna 172M (N5155Q), Santa Monica, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The student pilot’s misjudged approach and landing attempt. Contributing to the accident was a lack of airspeed due to a blocked pitot tube.

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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