Beech B-60 accident near Van Nuys, California, December 9, 1984
On December 9, 1984 at about 9:07 pm local time, a Beech B-60, registered N6023S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Van Nuys, California (Van Nuys airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 1984 · about 9:07 pm local time
- Place
- Van Nuys, California · Van Nuys · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B-60 · all B-60s on the register
- Registration
- N6023S · registry record · serial P-354
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING ROLL OUT THE PLT OBSERVED THE ACFT'S NOSE GEAR BEGIN TO COLLAPSE. ALTHOUGH ON APPROACH THE PLT HAD PLACED THE LDG GEAR SELECTOR IN THE DOWN POSITION & HAD OBSERVED THE ILLUMINATION OF THE GREEN GEAR DOWN LIGHTS, THE PLT RESPONDED TO THE SITUATION OF A COLLAPSING NOSE GEAR BY RECYCLING THE GEAR SELECTOR. THIS ACTION ENERGIZED THE GEAR MOTOR AND THE MAINS RETRACTED. THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RWY AND OVERRAN A SIGN AND TWO RUNWAY LIGHTS WHICH COLLISION SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED THE ACFT. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE NOSE GEAR RETRACTION LINK LOCK WASHER TAB HAD BROKEN. THE ASSOCIATED ADJUSTING NUT HAD BACKED OFF REDUCING TENSION TO THE NOSE GEAR DOWN SPRING THUS ALLOWING THE NOSE GEAR TO COLLAPSE. ALSO, THE MAIN GEAR SAFETY SWITCH WAS OUT OF ADJUSTMENT SUCH THAT THE GEAR COULD BE COMMANDED TO RETRACT WITH MORE WEIGHT ON THE WHEELS THAN NORMAL.
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 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 3,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,150 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 31, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 6,775 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-541-E1C4 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CRQ Carlsbad CA at 8:15 pm
- Destination: VNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16R, 8,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:09 pm from VNY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.