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LAX92LA375

1992-09-05 · SANTA MONICA, California, United States · Minor · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport SMO

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

THE THE PILOT'S POORLY PLANNED APPROACH; HIS FAILURE TO SELECT THE PROPER TOUCH DOWN POINT; AND INADEQUATE REMEDIAL ACTION.

Factual narrative

THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE WHEEL STRUCK 9 INCHES BELOW THE RUNWAY, SHEARING OFF THE NOSE WHEEL CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO NOSE OVER ONTO ITS BACK. THE PILOT WAS PLANNING TO LAND ON THE NUMBERS. THE TERRAIN BEFORE THE RUNWAY THRESHOLD SLOPES UPWARD AND THE RUNWAY HAS A MINUS 1.2% GRADIENT. THE RUNWAY NUMBERS ARE LOCATED ON THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT REPORTED ENCOUNTERING A STRONG DOWNDRAFT, BUT THE SURFACE WINDS WERE ONLY 10 KNOTS. THE PILOT FAILED TO SELECT THE PROPER TOUCH DOWN POINT AND FAILED TO ADEQUATELY CORRECT THE SITUATION WHEN IT BECAME EVIDENT THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS GOING TO LAND SHORT OF THE RUNWAY ENVIRONMENT. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1992_LAX92LA375.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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