Van Nuys Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Van Nuys, California 91413
Sunday, June 16, 1985 14:21 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AN ENG FAILUE WAS EXPERIENCED WHILE ON FINAL APCH TO RWY 16R AND THE PLT ELECTED TO MAKE THE FORCED LANDING ON A SOD FARM NEAR THE ARPT. HE STATED HE HAD PLENTY OF ALT TO REACH THE SELECTED TOUCHDOWN POINT, BUT HE MADE A SLIGHT LEFT TURN TO AVOID LARGE TREES. HE DID NOT SEE A STREET LIGHT WHICH WAS NOW IN HIS APCH PATH. THE ACFT CONTACTED THE LIGHT AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN SHORT OF THE PLANNED TOUCHDOWN POINT. THE CAUSE OF THE REPORTED ENG FAILURE WAS NOT DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/16/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1421
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City VAN NUYS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91413
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 6
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 340
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1346 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID VNY
Elevation of weather observation facility 800
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 20000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1659
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 16 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1620
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29036
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30738
NTSB Number LAX85LA278
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 J3C-65
Aircraft Series Identifier J3C-65
Aircraft Serial Number 5077
Certified Max Gross Weight 1220
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 20 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1850
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT W. STROMQUIST
Aircraft Owner Street Address 20351 GRESHAM ST.
Aircraft Owner City CANOGA PARK
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91307
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --