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Casualties unknown

Noninstrument-Rated Pilot Crashes into Water During Night Turn (N2838E)

Santa Monica, CA, US

On March 29, 2001, a Cessna 172N (registration N2838E) operated by Justice Aviation, Inc. was involved in an aviation accident near Santa Monica, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: the pilot's loss of airplane control while maneuvering due to spatial disorientation. Contributing factors were the dark night, the marine cloud layer that restricted the pilot's cruising altitude, and the pilot's lack of familiarity with nighttime flight… This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 2 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-07-04Data APIEditorial standards

A private pilot without instrument rating crashed into water at night after a descending turn at over 2,100 ft/min. A witness saw the plane fall straight down. No mechanical failure was found.

Accident Overview

The airplane impacted the water while descending at a high rate of speed. The pilot, a private pilot without an instrument rating, rented the aircraft and flew below a marine cloud layer along the shoreline on a dark, moonless night. During a course reversal turn, the airplane turned away from city lights. Shortly after the airplane was oriented nearly perpendicular to the shoreline, the pilot initiated a descending right turn with a vertical descent rate exceeding 2,100 feet per minute.

Witness Account

A witness located approximately one mile away reported that the airplane appeared to be falling straight down into the water.

Pilot Background

The pilot had taken his primary flight lessons from a Texas-based flight school. By his own admission, he was not familiar with flying around marine cloud layers.

Investigation Findings

Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failures.

Loss of control in flightSpatial disorientation

Related events

Same aircraft family

Same operator

All Cessna 172 accidents →

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 29 Mar 2001 Cessna 172N accident near Santa Monica, CA?

A private pilot without instrument rating crashed into water at night after a descending turn at over 2,100 ft/min. A witness saw the plane fall straight down. No mechanical failure was found.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 29 Mar 2001 involved a Cessna 172N, registration N2838E, operated by Justice Aviation, Inc., at Santa Monica, CA.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

the pilot's loss of airplane control while maneuvering due to spatial disorientation. Contributing factors were the dark night, the marine cloud layer that restricted the pilot's cruising altitude, and the pilot's lack of familiarity with nighttime flight over the ocean.

More accident analyses

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20010407X00718. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.