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20020207003999I

Incident · Minor damage
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FAA incident report · Gulstm GIV · Van Nuys, CA · February 7, 2002

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
February 7, 2002 · 09:18 local
Place
Van Nuys, CA
Airport
Van Nuys Airport
Phase of flight
Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator
AAWA
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N404DB
Reported as
Gulstm GIV
Pilot’s flight hours
16,110 total4,050 in this make and model105 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

N-23) a Learjet 31-A, N298CH, was holding short of runway 16R at intersection 2G at vny airport (Van Nuys, CA) awaiting an IFR release for a title 14 CFR part 91 reposition flight. Van Nuys tower requested N404DB a Gulfstream iv, to maneuver around the Learjet 31-A, N298CH, and subsequently cleared the g-iv, N404DB, for takeoff on runway 16R. The Learjet 31-A, N298CH was holding short of the hold short line, on the yellow taxi line. N404DB (g-iv) approached N298CH (Learjet 31-A) from behind and to the left and struck the left horizontal. N404DB was airborne when the flight crew of the N298CH notified Van Nuys tower that there was damage to their aircraft caused by N404DB. When Van Nuys tower notified the flight crew of N404DB that they struck N298CH, the flight crew of N404DB responded that they "could not of hit the Learjet" and that "they might have felt their jetblast". The pilot in command (PIC) of N404DB, jim topalian made the decision to carry on with the title 14 CFR part 135 flight check. FAA operations inspector paul f. d'allura was onboard the g-iv, N404DB conducting the flight check. The following in from ASI paul d'allura's statement after N404DB became airborne: privacy data omitted privacy data omitted the g-iv, N404DB struck the Learjet 31-A, N298CH with the right winglet. N404DB exhibited a paint transfer mark on the leading edge of the right winglet which extended a length of approximately six inches from the top of the right winglet downward. A Gulfstream technical representative (Mr. Walt wendelstein) inspected N404DB and stated that the aircraft is airworthy and no further inspection is required. The Learjet 31-A, N298CH, received damage to the lower portions of th e left elevator, the left horizontal stabilizer, and the left horizontal stabilizer tip fairing. This damage was a crease that was caused by the g-iv's winglet which traveled diagonally (inboard traveling outboard) on the outer most quarter of the horizontal stabilizer. Facts causal to this incident are: 1. Lack of the flight crew in N404DB to safely maneuver their aircraft around an obstacle. 2. Poor judgement abilities on part of the flight crew in N404DB to continue on with the flight check.

As the FAA filed it

N-23) A LEARJET 31-A, N298CH, WAS HOLDING SHORT OF RUNWAY 16R AT INTERSECTION 2G AT VNY AIRPORT (VAN NUYS, CA) AWAITING AN IFR RELEASE FOR A TITLE 14 CFR PART 91 REPOSITION FLIGHT. VAN NUYS TOWER REQUESTED N404DB A GULFSTREAM IV, TO MANEUVER AROUND THE LEARJET 31-A, N298CH, AND SUBSEQUENTLY CLEARED THE G-IV, N404DB, FOR TAKEOFF ON RUNWAY 16R. THE LEARJET 31-A, N298CH WAS HOLDING SHORT OF THE HOLD SHORT LINE, ON THE YELLOW TAXI LINE. N404DB (G-IV) APPROACHED N298CH (LEARJET 31-A) FROM BEHIND AND TO THE LEFT AND STRUCK THE LEFT HORIZONTAL. N404DB WAS AIRBORNE WHEN THE FLIGHT CREW OF THE N298CH NOTIFIED VAN NUYS TOWER THAT THERE WAS DAMAGE TO THEIR AIRCRAFT CAUSED BY N404DB. WHEN VAN NUYS TOWER NOTIFIED THE FLIGHT CREW OF N404DB THAT THEY STRUCK N298CH, THE FLIGHT CREW OF N404DB RESPONDED THAT THEY "COULD NOT OF HIT THE LEARJET" AND THAT "THEY MIGHT HAVE FELT THEIR JETBLAST". THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) OF N404DB, JIM TOPALIAN MADE THE DECISION TO CARRY ON WITH THE TITLE 14 CFR PART 135 FLIGHT CHECK. FAA OPERATIONS INSPECTOR PAUL F. D'ALLURA WAS ONBOARD THE G-IV, N404DB CONDUCTING THE FLIGHT CHECK. THE FOLLOWING IN FROM ASI PAUL D'ALLURA'S STATEMENT AFTER N404DB BECAME AIRBORNE: ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THE G-IV, N404DB STRUCK THE LEARJET 31-A, N298CH WITH THE RIGHT WINGLET. N404DB EXHIBITED A PAINT TRANSFER MARK ON THE LEADING EDGE OF THE RIGHT WINGLET WHICH EXTENDED A LENGTH OF APPROXIMATELY SIX INCHES FROM THE TOP OF THE RIGHT WINGLET DOWNWARD. A GULFSTREAM TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE (MR. WALT WENDELSTEIN) INSPECTED N404DB AND STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT IS AIRWORTHY AND NO FURTHER INSPECTION IS REQUIRED. THE LEARJET 31-A, N298CH, RECEIVED DAMAGE TO THE LOWER PORTIONS OF TH E LEFT ELEVATOR, THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER, AND THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER TIP FAIRING. THIS DAMAGE WAS A CREASE THAT WAS CAUSED BY THE G-IV'S WINGLET WHICH TRAVELED DIAGONALLY (INBOARD TRAVELING OUTBOARD) ON THE OUTER MOST QUARTER OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. FACTS CAUSAL TO THIS INCIDENT ARE: 1. LACK OF THE FLIGHT CREW IN N404DB TO SAFELY MANEUVER THEIR AIRCRAFT AROUND AN OBSTACLE. 2. POOR JUDGEMENT ABILITIES ON PART OF THE FLIGHT CREW IN N404DB TO CONTINUE ON WITH THE FLIGHT CHECK.