20120810016819A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna P210N · Los Angeles, CA · August 10, 2012

Date: August 10, 2012 · 18:11 local
Place: Los Angeles, CA
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N41KA
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR12FA349
Reported as: Cessna P210N
Reported engine: Continental TSIO-520 series
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 3,200 total

N41KARegistration cancelled Oct 6, 2017 · Cessna P210NS/N P21000045 · Built 1978 Airframe modelCessna P210N Engine modelContinental TSIO-520 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

N41KA, a model P210N single engine Cessna airplane departed santa monica, CA airport northbound on a VFR trip to mammoth lakes, CA. For unknown reasons, when the aircraft was approximately 23 miles north of santa monica, the pilot declared to so cal approach control that he was returning to santa monica airport. The pilot did not sound concerned, nor did he mention any problems or declare an emergency. N41KA was handed off to santa monica tower and was then sequenced behind other aircraft inbound for runway 21. N41KA was sequence number two and cleared to land. Less than a minute later, the pilot stated that 'I have an emergency'. Santa monica tower asked the nature of emergency. The pilot did not respond. N41KA continued on a southerly heading (base leg entry for runway 21) until impacting the surface 1.9 miles northeast of the approach end of runway 21. Smoke from the aircraft accident was observed northeast of the airport by a police helicopter and reported to the tower.

As the FAA filed it

N41KA, A MODEL P210N SINGLE ENGINE CESSNA AIRPLANE DEPARTED SANTA MONICA, CA AIRPORT NORTHBOUND ON A VFR TRIP TO MAMMOTH LAKES, CA. FOR UNKNOWN REASONS, WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 23 MILES NORTH OF SANTA MONICA, THE PILOT DECLARED TO SO CAL APPROACH CONTROL THAT HE WAS RETURNING TO SANTA MONICA AIRPORT. THE PILOT DID NOT SOUND CONCERNED, NOR DID HE MENTION ANY PROBLEMS OR DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. N41KA WAS HANDED OFF TO SANTA MONICA TOWER AND WAS THEN SEQUENCED BEHIND OTHER AIRCRAFT INBOUND FOR RUNWAY 21. N41KA WAS SEQUENCE NUMBER TWO AND CLEARED TO LAND. LESS THAN A MINUTE LATER, THE PILOT STATED THAT 'I HAVE AN EMERGENCY'. SANTA MONICA TOWER ASKED THE NATURE OF EMERGENCY. THE PILOT DID NOT RESPOND. N41KA CONTINUED ON A SOUTHERLY HEADING (BASE LEG ENTRY FOR RUNWAY 21) UNTIL IMPACTING THE SURFACE 1.9 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 21. SMOKE FROM THE AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT WAS OBSERVED NORTHEAST OF THE AIRPORT BY A POLICE HELICOPTER AND REPORTED TO THE TOWER.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR12FA349Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportSanta Monica, CAThe pilot's failure to maintain altitude during a return to the airport following an unspecified emergency; the nature of the emergency could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would…Aug 11, 2012 · Substantial damage