Cessna 172G and Bombardier INC CL-600-2B16 accident near Van Nuys, California, April 2, 2022
On April 2, 2022 at about 9:50 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172G (N3901L) and Bombardier INC CL-600-2B16 (N604RM), were involved in the same accident near Van Nuys, California (Van Nuys airport). No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient distance behind a jet airplane which, resulted in his loss of airplane control due to the jet airplane’s jet blast and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
The student pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient distance behind a jet airplane which, resulted in his loss of airplane control due to the jet airplane’s jet blast and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 2022 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Van Nuys, California · Van Nuys · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 8 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172G, built 1966 · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N3901L · registry record · serial 17254070
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Bombardier INC CL-600-2B16, built 2000
- Registration
- N604RM · registry record · serial 5441
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172G final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot and flight instructor taxied the Cessna 172 and stopped short of the displaced threshold runway behind a Bombardier Challenger awaiting their clearance for departure. A witness stated that the Cessna was about “2-wing spans” behind the Challenger and was in line with the jet thrust vector. Shortly after the pilot of the Challenger was cleared for takeoff, while still on the taxiway, with brakes applied, the pilot increased the engine power to about 80 to 90%, then released the brakes, and departed. The flight instructor of the Cessna reported that he cut the mixture and deflected the aileron control towards the Challenger’s jetbast, but the airplane lifted, and the left wing was substantially damaged when it contacted the runway. The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations The Challenger pilot reported that he was not aware of anything unusual related to his takeoff, as he was not contacted by the local air traffic control tower.
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 Bombardier INC CL-600-2B16 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot and flight instructor taxied the Cessna 172 and stopped short of the displaced threshold runway behind a Bombardier Challenger awaiting their clearance for departure. A witness stated that the Cessna was about “2-wing spans” behind the Challenger and was in line with the jet thrust vector. Shortly after the pilot of the Challenger was cleared for takeoff, while still on the taxiway, with brakes applied, the pilot increased the engine power to about 80 to 90%, then released the brakes, and departed. The flight instructor of the Cessna reported that he cut the mixture and deflected the aileron control towards the Challenger’s jetbast, but the airplane lifted, and the left wing was substantially damaged when it contacted the runway. The flight instructor reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operations The Challenger pilot reported that he was not aware of anything unusual related to his takeoff, as he was not contacted by the local air traffic control tower.
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 Cessna 172G from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction during taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › (general) › Effect on equipment
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 1,270 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 1,100 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 28, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16R, 4,013 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.99 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from KVNY
Weather report (METAR): METAR KVNY 022151Z 00000KT 10SM OVC023 18/11 A2999 RMK AO2 SLP151 T01780111=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Bombardier INC CL-600-2B16 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction during taxi (into takeoff position) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 22
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Ge CF34 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Ge CF34 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sanctus Aviation LLC
The flight
- Destination: PTK Pontiac MI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on July 8, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | N304RM Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Flight Instructor Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Witness Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Airport Diagram with Location of Airplanes Depicted by CFI | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Excerpt of Jet Blast Velocity from Bombardier | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 7 | Accident Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N3901L the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
2025-02-18WPR25LA098 · accident near Oxnard, CA · substantial damage · no injuries
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.