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GAA17CA333

2017-03-12 · Santa Monica, California, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SMO

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s unstabilized approach after encountering wake turbulence, which resulted in a hard landing.

Factual narrative

The pilot reported that, while on short final following a jet airplane, the airplane "encountered turbulence that induced significant rolling". He added that the airplane "was not able to completely re-establish a stabilized approach prior to touching down". Subsequently, the airplane touched down "more firm than usual". The pilot taxied the airplane to the ramp without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, while on short final following a jet airplane, the airplane "encountered turbulence that induced significant rolling." He added that the airplane "was not able to completely re-establish a stabilized approach prior to touching down." Subsequently, the airplane touched down "more firm than usual." The pilot taxied the airplane to the ramp without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Descent/approach/glide path-Not attained/maintained - C
  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
  • — Environmental issues-Conditions/weather/phenomena-Turbulence-Wake turbulence-Effect on operation

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2017_GAA17CA333.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

Search this event elsewhere

External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.

Related research

Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (wake turbulence, unstabilized approach, turbulence). All research papers