Van Nuys Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Van Nuys, California 91406
Saturday, August 3, 1985 16:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER PRACTICING ACROBATICS THE PLT RETURNED TO THE ARPT FOR THE PURPOSE OF PRACTICING LANDINGS. HE MADE THE FIRST ONE SUCCESSFULLY, BUT FLARED OUT HIGH ON THE SECOND LANDING. THE ACFT BOUNCED 'HARD' ON THE RWY TWICE, & THE PLT ELECTED TO GO AROUND. AFTER APPLYING ENG POWER, THE ACFT DRIFTED LEFT, OVERFLEW THE RUNWAY'S EDGE & COLLIDED WITH A SIGN. THE PLT CONTINUED WITH THE GO AROUND & LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER MISHAP. THE PLT REPORTED HAVING 354 TOTAL FLIGHT HOURS OF WHICH 11.7 WERE LOGGED AS PIC IN THE PITTS MODEL OF ACFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/3/1985
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City VAN NUYS
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91406
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 8
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 799
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID VNY
Elevation of weather observation facility 799
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2381
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 6 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1300
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 29794
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 N88M
NTSB Number LAX85LA342
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 PITTS
Aircraft Model S-2A
Aircraft Series Identifier S-2A
Aircraft Serial Number 2131
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 1 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 1539
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALLAN BERENSTEIN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12060 ROSE MARIA LN
Aircraft Owner City LOS ANGELES
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 90049
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ALPHA AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7535 VALJEAN
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code VNY
Departure City VAN NUYS
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1530
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code VNY
Destination City VAN NUYS
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 16L
Runway Length 4000
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --