83 accidents/incidents occurred since 1982 either at SMO, on approach to SMO, after departing from SMO, or involving aircraft operated out of SMO, plus two that occurred in Santa Monica airspace.
There were 40 fatalities.
22 of the 82 accidents were on “instructional flights.”
4 — American Flyers,
3 — Justice Aviation,
3 — Gunnell Aviation,
3 — privately-owned aircraft,
2 — California Aviation,
2 — Danforth Aviation,
1 — C & K Aviation
1 — Claire Walters Flight Academy
1 — Cloverfield Aviation
1 — Northfield Aviation
1 — Santa Monica Helicopters
(The 6 flight schools currently operating at SMO are American Flyers, Justice Aviation, Proteus Air Services, Santa Monica Aviation, Santa Monica Flyers, and Skyward Aviation.)
The “instructional” accidents occurred in the following locations:
– 6 at SMO
– 2 in Santa Monica — 4th St. near Bay (3 fatalities, including a flight instructor) and 21st & Navy
– 1 in Venice
– 1 in Malibu
– 2 in the ocean near Malibu (1 fatality: a flight instructor)
– 2 in Paso Robles
– 2 in Simi Valley
– 1 in Agoura Hills
– 1 near Altadena (2 fatalities — the fault of the air traffic control system)
–– 1 in Newhall
– 1 in San Clemente
– 1 in Santa Barbara
– 1 at Van Nuys Airport
“At Santa Monica Airport, you can earn your Student License and solo with as little as 20 hours of flight time and earn a Private Pilot’s License in just over 40 hours.“
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Regarding total SMO-related accidents/incidents since 1982, here are the locations:
Santa Monica — 27
a. 22 at SMO
b. 4 in residential SM neighborhoods — 3 in Sunset Park (Dewey near Walgrove/23rd,
Ashland near 23rd, 12st & Navy) and one in Ocean Park (4th near Bay)
c. 1 in downtown (mall roof — helicopter rollover)
Los Angeles – 16
a. 4 in West Los Angeles — Webster Junior High School on Sawtelle (90064), Barrington near National,
Greenfield Avenue, and Sherbourne Drive
b. 3 in Mar Vista — Mountain View Avenue, Wade Street, Warren Avenue (90066)
c. 3 at Van Nuys Airport
d. 2 in Rancho Park — Hill Crest Country Club Golf Course, Rancho Park Golf Course (90064)
e. 2 in Venice — Penmar Golf Course, Rose Avenue
f. 1 in the Fairfax district — apartment building on Spaulding Drive near Fairfax High School (90036)
g. 1 in Chatsworth
h. 2 in the airspace over Santa Monica – one over 90405, one east of the VOR
Pacific Ocean — 8 – (offshore from Malibu, Marina del Rey, Santa Monica, and Venice)
Agoura Hills – 1
Agua Dulce – 1
Altadena – 1
Avalon – 1
Azusa – 1
Cloverdale – 1
Columbia – 1
El Mirage – 1
Helendale – 1
Joshua Tree – 1
Kernville – 1
Lancaster – 1
Las Vegas – 1
Lebec – 1
Malibu – 1
New Cuyama – 1
Newhall – 1
Ojai – 1
Paso Robles – 2
Point Lobos – 1
Santa Barbara – 1
Santa Paula – 1
San Clemente – 1
Simi Valley – 2
Spanish Springs, NV – 1
7 total accidents have been associated with Justice Aviation, including 4 fatalities:
8/21/1997, 3/28/2001, 12/24/2004, 5/3/2006, 7/1/2010, 3/10/2011, 8/29/2011
Compiled By:Zina Josephs