Beech C90 and Gulfstream G-1159A mid-air collision near Van Nuys, California, October 17, 2000
On October 17, 2000 at about 10:51 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Beech C90 (N1801B) and Gulfstream G-1159A (N162JC), were involved in a mid-air collision near Van Nuys, California (Van Nuys airport). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to correctly set a new transponder code and an anomaly in ATC software that precluded the controller from manually overriding the resulting inhibition of displayed data. Factors in the accident were impaired function of the collision avoidance system in the other airplane due to structural masking of the airplane's transponder antenna, an intermittent failure of the approach controller's communication radio transmitter which interfered with his ability to communicate traffic information to the flight crew of other airplane, the failure of both the approach controller and the tower controller to issue safety alerts when the traffic conflict became apparent, and the failure of the flight crew of the other airplane to maintain an adequate visual lookout to see and avoid the airplane.
The failure of the pilot of the other airplane to correctly set a new transponder code and an anomaly in ATC software that precluded the controller from manually overriding the resulting inhibition of displayed data. Factors in the accident were impaired function of the collision avoidance system in the airplane due to structural masking of the other airplane's transponder antenna, an intermittent failure of the approach controller's communication radio transmitter which interfered with his ability to communicate traffic information to the pilots, the failure of both the approach controller and the tower controller to issue safety alerts when the traffic conflict became apparent, and the failure of the flight crew to maintain an adequate visual lookout to see and avoid the other airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2000 · about 10:51 pm local time
- Place
- Van Nuys, California · Van Nuys · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Beech C90 · all C90s on the register
- Registration
- N1801B · registry record · serial LJ0634
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Gulfstream G-1159A · all G-1159As on the register
- Registration
- N162JC · registry record · serial 373
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Beech C90 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Gulfstream descended from above and behind the Beech C90 and collided with it while both aircraft were on 2.5-mile final approach to the same runway. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The Gulfstream was on an ILS instrument approach and the Beech was on a VFR approach. Both airplanes subsequently landed without additional damage or injury to the occupants. Upon initial contact with the air traffic control tower, the Beech C90 was instructed to make a straight-in approach to the runway and was given a transponder code. The pilot miss-set the assigned code, which, due to an air traffic control computer software anomaly, caused the Beech's identifying data block to be suppressed and not available to the radar approach controller. The approach controller attempted to provide traffic advisories to the overtaking Gulfstream pilot but could not determine the Beech's type, destination, or altitude. (Altitude data became available to the controller 1 minute 14 seconds before the collision via a conflict alert message.) The controller did not issue a traffic alert to the Gulfstream crew when the Beech's altitude became known. Additionally, for unrelated reasons, the approach controller experienced frequent failures of his communication radio transmitter and was required to repeat transmissions to the Gulfstream and other aircraft. Despite the traffic point-out, in front of them 1 mile, altitude unknown, and later at short distance at a known altitude near theirs, the Gulfstream flight crew did not visually identify and avoid the Beech nor did they request radar separation services. On initial contact with the tower, the Gulfstream crew was cleared to land on the same runway the tower had previously cleared the Beech to make a straight-in approach to. When asked by the Gulfstream if there was any traffic in their vicinity, the tower replied, "nothing reported." The tower controller realized his mistake approximately 16 seconds later, however, the collision had already occurred. The Gulfstream pilot reported there were no TCAS 2 traffic advisories within 3 miles and there were no resolution advisories. The Gulfstream first officer recalled a TCAS "traffic" advisory close by at near their altitude, but no annunciation in the minute or two before the collision. With the model TCAS aboard the Gulfstream, when the aircraft's landing gear is extended, the lower TCAS antenna goes into an omni-directional mode wherein targets detected on the lower antenna only are displayed to the flight crew on the cockpit TCAS display with a text message of range and delta altitude but no bearing information. The Beech's transponder antenna was on the lower fuselage and airframe structure shielded it from interrogation by the Gulfstream's TCAS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The NTSB's narrative for the Gulfstream G-1159A final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Gulfstream descended from above and behind the Beech C90 and collided with it while both aircraft were on 2.5-mile final approach to the same runway. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The Gulfstream was on an ILS instrument approach and the Beech was on a VFR approach. Both airplanes subsequently landed without additional damage or injury to the occupants. Upon initial contact with the air traffic control tower, the Beech C90 was instructed to make a straight-in approach to the runway and was given a transponder code. The pilot miss-set the assigned code, which, due to an air traffic control computer software anomaly, caused the Beech's identifying data block to be suppressed and not available to the radar approach controller. The approach controller attempted to provide traffic advisories to the overtaking Gulfstream pilot but could not determine the Beech's type, destination, or altitude. (Altitude data became available to the controller 1 minute 14 seconds before the collision via a conflict alert message.) The controller did not issue a traffic alert to the Gulfstream crew when the Beech's altitude became known. Additionally, for unrelated reasons, the approach controller experienced frequent failures of his communication radio transmitter and was required to repeat transmissions to the Gulfstream and other aircraft. Despite the traffic point-out, in front of them 1 mile, altitude unknown, and later at short distance at a known altitude near theirs, the Gulfstream flight crew did not visually identify and avoid the Beech nor did they request radar separation services. On initial contact with the tower, the Gulfstream crew was cleared to land on the same runway the tower had previously cleared the Beech to make a straight-in approach to. When asked by the Gulfstream if there was any traffic in their vicinity, the tower replied, "nothing reported." The tower controller realized his mistake approximately 16 seconds later, however, the collision had already occurred. The Gulfstream pilot reported there were no TCAS 2 traffic advisories within 3 miles and there were no resolution advisories. The Gulfstream first officer recalled a TCAS "traffic" advisory close by at near their altitude, but no annunciation in the minute or two before the collision. With the model TCAS aboard the Gulfstream, when the aircraft's landing gear is extended, the lower TCAS antenna goes into an omni-directional mode wherein targets detected on the lower antenna only are displayed to the flight crew on the cockpit TCAS display with a text message of range and delta altitude but no bearing information. The Beech's transponder antenna was on the lower fuselage and airframe structure shielded it from interrogation by the Gulfstream's TCAS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record for the Beech C90 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,740 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 2,522 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 14, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,577 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 14, 2000; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,650 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sun Quest Executive Air Charte
The flight
- Departed from: BFL Bakersfield CA at 10:23 pm
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Runway 16R, 8,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from VNY, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
The factual record for the Gulfstream G-1159A from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,921 hours in all; 4,034 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 79 in the last 30 days; 6,078 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 8, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,644 hours in all; 366 in this make and model; 178 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 1,849 as pilot in command; 115 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,162 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 21, 2000; 102 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 69,700 lb
- Seats: 17
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Rolls-Royce Spey 511-8 (turbojet); 0 hours total
- Operator: Trans-Exec Air Service, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: RNO Reno NV at 9:55 pm
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16R, 8,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX01FA018.