- Date
- July 22, 2019, 18:30 local (Jul 23, 2019, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Van Nuys, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N737DWCessna 172
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed · report April 13, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190722012429A
- Case key
- 99915
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 during landing with a left quartering crosswind, which resulted in a runway excursion and impact with runway lighting.
Findings · 4
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 landing, shortly after the main landing gear touched down, the airplane veered left, exited the runway, and impacted the visual approach slope indicator. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during landing, shortly after the main landing gear touched down, the airplane veered left, exited the runway to the left, and impacted the visual approach slope indicator. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was 120° at 9 knots. The pilot reported the wind was 120° at 13 knots. The airplane landed on runway 16R.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N737DW
- Reported as
- Cessna 172 (N)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 17269347
- Built
- 1977
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320 SERIES, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Mh Aviation Inc
- Registered owner
- Mh Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Departed
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
- Destination
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
- Airport
- VNY · Van Nuys, runway 16R, 8,001 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 36
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 28, 2019
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,308 total · 800 in this make and model · 1,194 as pilot in command · 253 in the last 90 days · 54 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 120° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.93 inHg
- Observed at
- KVNY
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 16, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.2 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.