# Accident 19961114035749A: Cessna 310I, Van Nuys, CA, November 14, 1996 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: November 14, 1996, 01:19 local time - Place: Van Nuys, CA - Airport: Van Nuys Airport - Damage: Destroyed - Phase of flight: Go Round (Aborted VFR) - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: A3XA - Location: 34.1893° N, 118.4894° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.1893&lon=-118.4894&mi=10 - Aircraft: N8046M, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8046M-1997-06-17) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 310I (registry code 2074224, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310i) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 310I - Reported engine: CONT IO470V - People aboard: 1 - Fatal injuries: 1 - Pilot flight hours: 2,577 total, 62 in this make and model - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX97FA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97FA036) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19961114035749A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ENTERED FOG BANK ON APPROACH. IMPACT ON TAXIWAY STRUCK 5 PARKED PLANES. HAD FAILED AIRLINE IFR CHECK PRIOR. WX ZERO (.19) ON NOVEMBER 14, 1996, AT 0119 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 310I, N8046M, OPERATED BY AEX AIR, MESA, ARIZONA, COLLIDED WITH FIVE UNOCCUPIED PARKED AIRPLANES FOLLOWING A LOSS OF CONTROL DURING A MISSED APPROACH AT THE VAN NUYS AIRPORT, VAN NUYS, CALIFORNIA. THE AIRPLANE WAS DESTROYED, AND THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT WAS FATALLY INJURED. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES (IFR) FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE ON-DEMAND AIR TAXI FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR 135 AND ORIGINATED FROM NORTH LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, ON NOVEMBER 13, 1996, AT 1147. THE AIRPLANE WAS DISCOVERED BY AN AIRPORT OFFICER DURING HIS ROUTINE PATROL AT 0530. THE PILOT WAS EN ROUTE TO THE BURBANK, CALIFORNIA, MUNICIPAL AIRPORT WHERE HE WAS SCHEDULED TO DELIVER 224 POUNDS OF BANK CHECKS. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS AT BURBANK DETERIORATED, AND THE PILOT DIVERTED TO VAN NUYS. AT 0108:35, A SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA TRACON (SCT) RADAR CONTROLLER INFORMED THE PILOT THAT TWO OTHER AIRPLANES HAD RECENTLY REPORTED THAT THE WEATHER CONDITION AT VAN NUYS WAS VFR. THE SCT RADAR CONTROLLER ISSUED AN IFR CLEARANCE TO THE PILOT FOR AN INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM (ILS) APPROACH TO RUNWAY 16R AT THE VAN NUYS AIRPORT. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE CLEARANCE AND COMMENCED THE APPROACH. THE LAST RADIO TRANSMISSION FROM THE PILOT WAS RECORDED AT 0116:47, WHEN THE PILOT INFORMED THE SCT CONTROLLER THAT HE "HAS THE AIRPORT IN SIGHT." SEVERAL PERSONS NOTED THE LOCAL AIRPORT WEATHER CONDITIONS NEAR THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THEY REPORTED THE SURFACE VISIBILITY AT VAN NUYS VARIED BETWEEN NEAR ZERO-ZERO CONDITIONS AND 1 MILE. ONE WITNESS REPORTED SEEING A FOG BANK MOVING OVER THE AIRPORT. AT 0119, AN AIRPORT OFFICER LOCATED NEAR THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 16R ESTIMATED THE VISIBILITY WAS NOT OVER 0.25 MILES. ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB LAX97FA036](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX97FA036), Nov 14, 1996: Cessna 310I (N8046M), Van Nuys, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain a climb following initiation of a missed approach in fog due to spatial disorientation, and his inadequate training by company personnel. Potential rescue was delayed… ## Other reports on N8046M (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 19840118032909I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840118032909I), Jan 18, 1984: Cessna 310I (N8046M), Gainesville, FL, Minor damage. Rough engine shut down. After landing found #2 cylinder studs failed at crankcase attachment. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.