- Date
- June 16, 1985, 14:21 local (21:21 UTC)
- Place
- Van Nuys, CA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N30738Piper J3C-65
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850616025439A
- Case key
- 24743
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
An eng failue was experienced while on final apch to rwy 16R and the plt elected to make the forced landing on a sod farm near the arpt. He stated he had plenty of alt to reach the selected touchdown point, but he made a slight left turn to avoid large trees. He did not see a street light which was now in his apch path. The acft contacted the light and collided with the terrain short of the planned touchdown point. The cause of the reported eng failure was not determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N30738
- Reported as
- Piper J3C-65
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5077
- Airframe hours
- 1,850
- Engine
- Continental C-85, 85 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert W. Stromquist
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 20, 1985
- Airport
- VNY · Van Nuys
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 63
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 605 total · 73 in this make and model · 485 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 20,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VNY
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.