Piper PA-34-200 accident near Van Nuys, California, April 25, 1992
On April 25, 1992 at about 3:09 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N55296, 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; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INADEQUATE INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE'S BRAKES SYSTEM BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL AND THE MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL NOT REPLACING BRAKE LININGS THAT WERE WORN BEYOND THEIR SERVICE LIMITS. THE RUNWAY LIGHTS AND FENCE THAT WERE IN THE AIRPLANE'S GROUND PATH AFTER IT DEPARTED THE RUNWAY WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 1992 · about 3:09 am local time
- Place
- Van Nuys, California · Van Nuys · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N55296 · registry record · serial 347350198
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE PILOT APPLIED BOTH BRAKES TO SLOW THE AIRPLANE. THE RIGHT BRAKE FAILED TO OPERATE AND THE AIRPLANE RAN OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE STRUCK RUNWAY LIGHTS AND A CHAIN LINK FENCE BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE'S BRAKE SYSTEM AFTER THE ACCIDENT DISCLOSED THAT THE RIGHT BRAKE LINING WAS WORN BEYOND ITS SERVICE LIMITS. BOTH LEFT AND RIGHT BRAKE SYSTEMS HAD BEEN OVERHAULED IN MARCH, 1992.
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: 1,321 hours in all; 294 in this make and model; 197 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 1,171 as pilot in command; 838 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,072 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 13, 1992; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Falcon Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: P06 Bullhead City AZ at 1:25 am
- Destination: VNY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:09 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.