Van Nuys Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Van Nuys, California 91406
Sunday, July 19, 1992 18:35 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE PILOT'S ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND HE EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING TO THE RUNWAY. IN ORDER TO NEGOTIATE THE AIRPORT THE PILOT ANGLED TOWARDS THE RUNWAY. AFTER TOUCH DOWN THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO ALIGN THE AIRPLANE WITH THE RUNWAY AND EXITED THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH THE VISUAL APPROACH SLOPE INDICATOR LIGHTS BEFORE STOPPING. THE OPERATOR OPERATED THE ENGINE, SHORTLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT BUT COULD NOT RECALL IF THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE WAS PROPERLY SELECTED TO A FUEL TANK. THE ACCIDENT WAS INITIALLY REPORTED AS AN INCIDENT. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF ANY PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES AND THE CAUSE OF THE LOSS OF POWER COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN ON GROUND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN SUBSEQUENT TO AN ENGINE FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/19/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1835
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City VAN NUYS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91406
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport VAN NUYS
Event Location Nearest Airport ID VNY
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 799
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 19
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2164
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 20 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1445
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46332
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:05PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N83211
NTSB Number LAX92LA309
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA32-301T
Aircraft Series Identifier PA32-301T
Aircraft Serial Number 32-8124006
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 8 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2227
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FEVERHELM TRANSPORTATION, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 16231 WATERMAN AVE
Aircraft Owner City VAN NUYS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91406
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FEVERHELM TRANSPORTATION, INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 16231 WATERMAN AVE
Operator City VAN NUYS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91406
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code AVX
Departure City AVALON
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1800
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 16
Runway Length 8001
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --