# NTSB WPR25LA113: Beech E-55, N994WY, Van Nuys, CA, March 16, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: March 15, 2025, 20:30 local (Mar 16, 2025, 03:30 UTC)
- Place: Van Nuys, CA
- Coordinates: 34.209806, -118.48997
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2098&lon=-118.4900&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Approach: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration
- NTSB case key (mKey): 199874
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR25LA113
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/199874/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199874
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA113

## Probable cause

An in-flight collision with a bird during an approach to land.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Object/animal/substance: animal(s)/bird(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment (probable cause); cases with it: [Beech E-55, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md?model=1152732), [All aircraft, 358 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md)
- [Object/animal/substance: animal(s)/bird(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Ability to respond/compensate; cases with it: [Beech E-55, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md?model=1152732), [All aircraft, 358 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022045/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Approach: Birdstrike](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901) (defining event); cases with it: [Beech E-55, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md?model=1152732), [All aircraft, 253 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/901/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The right seat pilot reported that they were passing over mountainous terrain at 5,000 ft mean sea level when a bird shattered 75% of the airplane’s windshield. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the left seat pilot-rated passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight continued to its destination and landed without further incident. The right seat pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N994WY](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N994WY), registered now, S/N TE-1001 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH E-55
- Registry model: [Beech E-55](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-e-55) (registry code 1152732) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Continental IO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-io-520-series) (registry code 17032, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: TE-1001
- Year built: 1974
- Airframe hours: 4174.4
- Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-520-C7B 285 horsepower reciprocating; CONTINENTAL IO-520-C7B 285 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Gema Merdeka Goeyardi
- Registered owner: International Air Service Inc Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: KVGT, LAS VEGAS, NV
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: KVNY, Van Nuys Airport, runway 16R, 8,001 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment: Video recording device, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 38; injuries: none; flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 28, 2024; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 2,113.5 total, 0 in this make and model, 2,016.4 as pilot in command, 27.5 in the last 90 days, 14.5 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours
- Co-pilot; age 56; injuries: minor; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 1,050 total, 0 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: 120° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 55 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observed at: KVNY, 18 nm away
- METAR: KVNY 160351Z 12003KT 10SM CLR 13/03 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP191 T01280028

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20250315004649A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250315004649A), Mar 15, 2025: Beech E-55, Van Nuys, CA, Substantial damage. While on final approach into vny, bird struck windscreen causing greater than 75% of the windscreen to break off. Pilot was injured by windscreen projectiles,…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 12, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=199874. 2.1 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18616537&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=WPR25LA113%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Mor airport operations (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 62 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18616794&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=MOR%20Airport%20Operations-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 3, PDF, 3 pages, 430 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18646638&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos%20WPR25LA113%C2%AD_redacted-Rel.pdf

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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