Cessna 340A N2RR

Summary

On 14 November 2001 at about 02:36 local time, a Cessna 340A registered N2RR was involved in an accident near Santa Monica, California, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 November 2001 at 02:36

Classification

Accident

Location

Santa Monica, California, United States

Nearest airport

Santa Monica Municipal (SMO)

Coordinates

34.0100, -118.4609

Aircraft

Cessna 340A

Registration

N2RR

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Santa Monica → Van Nuys

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

LAX02FA028

2 people died.

The pilot's failure to remove the control gust lock prior to takeoff and his failure to abort the takeoff with sufficient runway remaining to stop the airplane on the runway.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

During an aborted nighttime takeoff, the airplane continued off the end of the 4,987-foot-long runway, vaulted an embankment, and impacted a guardrail on an airport service road 30 feet below. According to the manufacturer's pilot operating handbook, the takeoff distance required for the ambient conditions was 1,620 feet and the accelerate-stop distance was 2,945 feet. Several witnesses reported observing the airplane traveling along the runway at an unusually high speed, with normal engine sound, and without becoming airborne; followed by an abrupt reduction in engine power and the sound of screeching tires. Skid marks were present on the last 1,000 feet of the runway. In the wreckage, the gust lock/control lock was found engaged in the pilot's control column.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.