Piper PA-32RT-300 accident near Van Nuys, California, August 24, 1991
On August 24, 1991 at about 1:11 am local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, registered N9507C, was destroyed in an accident near Van Nuys, California (Van Nuys airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 6 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
(1) THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PREFLIGHT PREPARATION; (2) THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE AIRPLANE MANUFACTURER'S PERFORMANCE DATA BY HIS SELECTION OF AN IMPROPER FLAP POSITION FOR TAKEOFF; AND (3) THE PILOT'S CHOICE OF A RUNWAY TOO SHORT FOR A SAFE TAKEOFF. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: (1) THE PILOT'S TOTAL LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRPLANE WHICH WAS MANIFESTED BY HIS IMPROPER POSITIONING OF THE WING FLAPS; AND (2) THE PILOT'S IMPROPER STABILATOR CONTROL USAGE DURING ROTATION FOR TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 1991 · about 1:11 am local time
- Place
- Van Nuys, California · Van Nuys · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300 PA-32RT-30 · all PA-32RT-300s on the register
- Registration
- N9507C · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7885051
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE RECENTLY CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL PILOT LOADED THE AIRPLANE TO APPROXIMATELY ITS MAXIMUM CERTIFICATED GROSS WEIGHT. HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO TAKEOFF USING ONE NOTCH OF WING FLAPS ON THE 4,000 FOOT LONG RUNWAY. AN 8,000 FOOT LONG RUNWAY WAS AVAILABLE. IT WAS A HOT (98 DEG. F.) DAY AND DURING THE GROUND ROLL THE PILOT OVERROTATED, SCRAPED THE TAIL SKID, AND ELECTED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. INSUFFICIENT DISTANCE REMAINED TO STOP. THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, COLLIDED WITH A FENCE AND A DIRT BANK, AND THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE. PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT'S TOTAL 'IN COMMAND' EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRPLANE WAS 1.0 HOUR. PERFORMANCE DATA INDICATED THAT USING PROPER CONTROL INPUTS AND USING TWO NOTCHES OF WING FLAPS, THE AIRPLANE MIGHT HAVE SUCCESSFULLY BEEN ABLE TO TAKEOFF USING THE SHORTER RUNWAY.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 561 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 363 as pilot in command; 156 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:12 am from VNY, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.