- Date
- September 30, 2018, 16:21 local (23:21 UTC)
- Place
- Van Nuys, CA
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N400JWPiper PA28
- Defining event
- Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 26, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180930016569A
- Case key
- 98442
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, during the landing flare on runway 16L, he felt a wind gust from the right. To counter the gust, he applied left rudder and right aileron to lower the right wing. When the nose landing gear touched down on the runway, the airplane veered left, and he applied "minimal right steering and braking" to avoid overcorrecting and colliding with an airplane that was landing on runway 16R. Subsequently, the airplane exited the left side of the runway and struck a taxiway sign before it came to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The airport's METAR reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was calm. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that during the landing flare on runway 16L, he felt a gust of wind from the right. To counter the gust he applied, "left rudder" and right aileron to lower the right wing. When the nose landing gear touched down on the runway, the airplane veered to the left and he applied, "minimal right steering and braking" to avoid overcorrecting and colliding with an airplane that was landing on runway 16 right. Subsequently, the airplane exited the left side of the runway and struck a taxiway sign before it came to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The meteorological aerodrome report for the airport that the pilot landed, reported that about the time of the accident. The wind was calm. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N400JW
- Reported as
- Piper PA28 (180)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-7405276
- Built
- 1974
- Airframe hours
- 8,852
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4A, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Airfleet Holdings Llc.
- Registered owner
- Airfleet Holdings Llc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 24, 2018
- Departed
- SMO · Santa Monica, CA
- Destination
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
- Airport
- VNY · Van Nuys, runway 16L, 4,013 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 27
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 29, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 94 total · 93 in this make and model · 32 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KVNY
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 26, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.0 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.