North American T28C accident near Sherman Oaks, CA

On May 24, 2003, a North American T28C (airplane) was involved in an accident near Sherman Oaks, CA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.

Date

May 24, 2003

Place

Sherman Oaks, CA

Aircraft

North American T28C · Airplane

Injuries

2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Destroyed

Position

34.142°N, 118.433°W

NTSB ID

20030530X00745

NTSB summary

1.1 HISTORY OF FLIGHT On May 24, 2003, at 1225 Pacific daylight time, a North American T28C, N537Z, collided with terrain following an in-flight loss of control after takeoff near Sherman Oaks, California. The accident site was about 4 miles southeast of the Van Nuys Airport (VNY), Van Nuys, California, and the flight's departure point. The owner/pilot was operating the airplane under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The commercial pilot and one passenger were fatally injured; the airplane was destroyed. The personal cross-country flight departed at 1222, en route to Thermal, California. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed below a solid overcast; the cloud layer base varied between 1,300 and 1,700 feet mean sea level (msl), and tops of the cloud layer were reported between 3,000 and 3,500 feet msl. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed. The primary wreckage was at 34 degrees 08 minutes north latitude and 118 degrees 25 minutes west longitude. Witnesses near the accident site reported that they saw the accident airplane coming out of the clouds from the southwest at a high rate of speed, and in a steep nose down attitude. Witnesses also said the radial engine sounded normal. The airplane continued to make noise until impact, which was followed by a post impact explosion. Information obtained from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) indicated that the Southern California Terminal Radar Control (SCT) handled the flight during the accident sequence. According to a review of the air and ground communications tapes, the pilot checked in wit

Probable cause

The pilot's in-flight loss of control due to spatial disorientation. Factors in the accident were the distraction caused by the malfunctioning mode C altitude reporting system, and the location of the transponder control head, which necessitated repeated pilot head movements to the right and down while in instrument meteorological conditions.

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.