# Incident 20020207003999I: Gulstm GIV, Van Nuys, CA, February 7, 2002

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 7, 2002, 09:18 local time
- Place: Van Nuys, CA
- Airport: Van Nuys Airport
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Ground Taxi, Other Airplane
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: AAWA
- Location: 34.2098° N, 118.4900° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at VAN NUYS (VNY), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2098&lon=-118.4900&mi=10
- Aircraft: N404DB (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: GULSTM GIV
- Pilot flight hours: 16,110 total, 4,050 in this make and model, 105 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020207003999I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

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.

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