Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Van Nuys Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Van Nuys, California 91406
Friday, October 12, 2001 18:28 PST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
A Piper Malibu, piloted by a private pilot, and a Piper Cherokee airplane, piloted by a student pilot on his third solo flight, collided on runway 16R at Van Nuys Airport, which is served by an air traffic control tower. The Cherokee was preparing for takeoff, and had been cleared to taxi into position and hold on the runway. The Malibu was on a visual approach and had been cleared to land on runway 16R. According to the Malibu pilot, during the landing roll he encountered the Cherokee on the runway despite his clearance to land. The accident occured shortly after sunset. During an interview with the air traffic controller (LC1) who was handling the aircraft, he indicated that he had instructed the Malibu to make a left base for runway 16R after the pilot made initial contact with the control tower. He then cleared a Hawker jet on final to land. The Cherokee pilot radioed that he was ready for departure when the Hawker jet on short final, and he instructed the pilot to hold short. According to LC!, as the Hawker jet rolled past intersection 13, the Cherokee was cleared into position and he advised the pilot of the position of the Malibu. He then observed the Cherokee. He did not clear the Cherokee for takeoff, but instructed the Cessna to follow the Malibu. LC1 was checking for extended landing gear o the Cessna on final, when someone shouted "You got a guy at 13. He said no one had mentioned the Cherokee prior to the accident. According to LC1, he believes this accident is the result of the human error, a lapse of memory and scanning. He acknowledged that he did not remember the Cherokee (holding) in position and hold on the runway. The investigation revealed an obstructed view of from the LC1 workstation. FAA Order 7110.65, para. 2-9-4(f) states: Do not authorize an aircraft to taxi into position and hold at an intersection between and sunrise or anytime when the intersection is not visible.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The failure of the air traffic controller to provide effective separation on the runway surface as specified in FAA Order 7110.65, Paragraph 3-9-6.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 10/12/2001 |
| Event Day of the Week | Friday |
| Time of Event | 1828 |
| Event Time Zone | Pacific Standard Time |
| Event City | Van Nuys |
| Event State | CALIFORNIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 91406 |
| Event Date Year | 2001 |
| Event Date Month | 10 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | Yes |
| 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 | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1838 Pacific Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | VNY |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 799 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | PST |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 2000 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 4 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 8 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 110 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Unknown |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.93 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 2 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 13404 |
| NTSB Notification Source | |
| NTSB Notification Date | Oct 12 2001 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1908 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 13 2003 12:26PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Van Nuys, California |
Aircraft Involved |
||
|---|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
Aircraft #2 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N15831 | N4BP |
| NTSB Number | LAX02FA004A | LAX02FA004B |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No | No |
| Damage | Substantial | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-28-140 | PA-46-310P |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 28-7325174 | 46-8408065 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2150 | 4300 |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil | U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 4 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 25 2001 12:00AM | Apr 20 2000 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- | 200 |
| Airframe Hours | -- | 4300 |
| ELT Installed | Yes | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No | No |
| ELT Type | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Business Flights, Inc. | Robert A. Philpott |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 7537 Valjean Ave #4 | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Van Nuys | Encino |
| Aircraft Owner State | CA | CA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 91406 | 91436 |
| Operator is an individual? | No | No |
| Operator Name | Blue Skies Aviation | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 7535 Valjean Ave. #4 | -- |
| Operator City | Van Nuys | -- |
| Operator State | CA | -- |
| Operator Country | USA | -- |
| Operator Zip code | 91406 | -- |
| Operator Code | -- | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- | -- |
| 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) | Instructional | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | No | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | Yes | No |
| Departure Airport Code | VNY | WHP |
| Departure City | Van Nuys | Los Angeles |
| Departure State | CA | CA |
| Departure Country | USA | USA |
| Departure Time | 1628 | 1815 |
| Departure Time Zone | PDT | PDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | -- | VNY |
| Destination City | -- | Van Nuys |
| Destination State | -- | CA |
| Destination Country | -- | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff | Landing - roll |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 16 2002 2:03PM | Dec 16 2002 2:03PM |
| User who most recently changed record | JOND | JOND |
| Since inspection or accident | -- | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 16R | 16R |
| Runway Length | 8001 | 8001 |
| Runway Width | 150 | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No | No |
| Medical Flight | -- | -- |