20001017038552A

(-23) A Gulfstream G-1159-A, N162JC, collided with a Beechcraft C-90, N1801B, while both aircraft were on a 4-mile final approach to runway 16R at the Van Nuys Airport, Van Nuys, California. Both aircraft subsequently landed safely at the Van Nuys Airport. There were no injuries to any of the occupants on either aircraft. The Beechcraft C-90 was operating under visual flight rules while the Gulfstream G-1159-A was operating under instrument flight rules. (.4) history of flight: on October 17, 2000, at 1551 pacific daylight time, a Beech C90, N1801B, collided in midair with a Gulfstream aerospace G-1159A, N162JC, while both aircraft were on 4-mile final approach to runway 16R at the Van Nuys, California, airport. Both aircraft subsequently landed safely at Van Nuys Airport, and there were no injuries to the airline transport certificated pilot and two passengers aboard the Beech C90, or to the airline transport certificated pilot and two crewmembers aboard the Gulfstream G-1159A. The Beech C90 was substantially damaged and the Gulfstream G-1159A received minor damage. The Beech C90 was operated on a visual flight rule s flight plan under 14 CFR part 135 as a nonscheduled, domestic air taxi flight by sun quest executive air charter, and had departed from bakersfield, California, at 1520. The Gulfstream G-1159A was operated under instrument flight rules by trans-exec air service, inc., under 14 CFR part 91 as a positioning flight, and had departed from reno, Nevada, about 1500. A flight instructor, who was employed by the flight school division of sun quest executive air charter, witnessed the midair collision from his car while driving westbound on the 118 freeway just past the 405 freeway interchange. The instructor said he just happened to look upward and his attention was attracted to two aircraft flying in close proximity, one behind the other, nearly co-speed but with the rear aircraft overtaking the aircraft in front of it. The swept wing aircraft that he later learned was a Gulfstream G3 was overtaking a smaller airplane. He couldn't judge altitude precisely; however, as he watched the two aircraft came together and the smaller airplane shuddered and then dropped down out of view behind some trees. It appeared the larger, swept-wing aircraft initiated a go-around maneuver. Another witness observed the collision from his home in the 10,000 block of odessa avenue (2 miles north of the Van Nuys Airport). He reported looking up after hearing a jet aircraft and seeing a corporate jet aircraft (which he identified as a "G-3", I.e. Gulfstream) making what he considered a normal approach to the airport but with a smaller, twin-engine propeller aircraft (which he identified as a "king air") behind and to the left of the corporate jet. The king air was about one plane length behind the Gulfstream, one fuselage diameter below the jet, and was offset to the left so that the fuselage centerline of the king air was even with the Gulfstream's left wingtip. As he watched for the next 5 - 7 seconds, the king air overtook the Gulfstream until the king air was under the left wing of the Gulfstream. About the time the king air was under the wing of the Gulfstream, the vertical gap also closed and he observed the king air to "make some slight maneuvering motions. The wings and fuselage moved around some. The king air then fluttered like a falling leaf. The nose pointed down and the king air dove toward the ground with its wings rocking back and forth." The king air then recovered and continued flying toward the airport. He heard the engines of the Gulfstream increase in power and the aircraft pulled up and banked right before continuing toward the airport. He lost sight of both airplanes about 5 - 7 seconds after the collision.