Van Nuys Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Van Nuys, California 91406
Sunday, January 8, 2006 17:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After touchdown the airplane veered off the right side of the runway and collided with a taxiway sign and a hangar. Both the instructor and the pilot manipulating the controls reported that they had just performed a simulated right engine out approach and landing. The pilot noted a left crosswind condition during the landing and the instructor said that both throttles were reduced to idle for touchdown. After touchdown, the pilots stated that the left wing rose up causing the right wing to strike the runway. The airplane veered off the runway and became airborne. The instructor said that the airplane was in a nose high steep right bank configuration and that the pilot was not able to regain control of the airplane. The instructor physically verified that the throttles were at idle and lowered the nose. The airplane contacted the taxiway again, striking a taxiway sign, and started to slide in a sideways motion. The landing gear collapsed and the airplane slid into a hangar. Both pilots stated that there were no mechanical problems with the airplane.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing. Also causal was the flight instructor's delayed remedial action and inadequate supervision of the flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/8/2006
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1700
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Van Nuys
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 91406
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 341259N
Event Location Longitude 1182940W
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1651 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID VNY
Elevation of weather observation facility 802
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.04
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 19570
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Jan 8 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Apr 25 2006 11:00AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-VNY-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4495T
NTSB Number LAX06CA085
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model Seneca
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 34-7250114
Certified Max Gross Weight 4200
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 1 2005 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 22
Airframe Hours 5599
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Cobalt H20 Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Sherman Oaks
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 91423
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Hollywood Aviators Inc
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Van Nuys
Operator State CA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 91406
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate 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
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code VNY
Departure City Van Nuys
Departure State CA
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1520
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code VNY
Destination City Van Nuys
Destination State CA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 2 2006 1:05PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34R
Runway Length 4011
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --