Navion B accident near Van Nuys, CA
On September 11, 2020, a Navion B (airplane) was involved in an accident near Van Nuys, CA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 11, 2020
- Place
- Van Nuys, CA
- Aircraft
- Navion B · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 34.192°N, 118.489°W
- NTSB ID
- 20200911X00935
Official records · WPR20LA303
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- ATC Recording - Local Control: Recording (MP4), on ntsb.gov
- ATC Recording - Ground Control: Recording (MP4), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
On September 11, 2020, at 1501 Pacific daylight time, a Navion B, N37C, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near the Van Nuys Airport (VNY), Van Nuys, California. The pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight. Air Traffic control reported that, at the time of the accident, the traffic volume at VNY was moderate, but not complex. The pilot contacted the tower and reported that he was ready for takeoff. The controller replied that he was cleared for takeoff from 16R without delay. The airplane took off uneventfully; shortly thereafter the controller started to instruct the pilot to turn on a right crosswind but stopped and asked the pilot if he was ok. There was no response from the pilot. Witnesses reported that the airplane took off to the south and was flying lower than normal. In addition, the airplane started a right turn much earlier than most airplanes. As the airplane started its turn, they heard a “pop,” and the airplane made a “hard right” turn. The airplane then descended nose down with the wings at a slight angle as it went out of sight. Shortly thereafter, a plume of smoke was observed. The airplane impacted nose low in a narrow parking lot about ½ mile west of the runway surface. The airplane wreckage was contained to a small area in between two rows of vehicles. A post crash fire ensued; a large portion of the fuselage and aft fuselage were consumed by fire. The engine, cabin area, and wings were heavily accordioned and exhibited thermal damage. The e
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane during an abrupt turn after takeoff at a low altitude, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
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Browse: California · Navion aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
