Cessna U206 accident near Van Nuys, California, February 29, 1996
On February 29, 1996 at about 9:11 pm local time, a Cessna U206, registered N2132F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Van Nuys, California (Van Nuys airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper use of the elevator control, while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 29, 1996 · about 9:11 pm local time
- Place
- Van Nuys, California · Van Nuys · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna U206 · all U206s on the register
- Registration
- N2132F · registry record · serial U206-0332
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was practicing takeoffs and landings. During the first landing, she landed on the main landing gear with the control yoke full back. Reportedly, she released pressure on the yoke, the nose dropped, and the nose gear collapsed. The nose cowling contacted the runway, and the propeller was bent. The airplane then veered left off the runway after the left main landing gear contacted the runway shoulder. After the accident, the nose tire was found flat, and the nose wheel was broken. Evidence of corrosion was noted on the fractured wheel. However, a metallurgical examination of the broken wheel indicated that it had failed from overload.
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: student
- Flight time: 111 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 111 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,024 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 25, 1995; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VNY at 8:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16L, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from VNY, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.