Beech E-55 accident near Van Nuys, California, March 16, 2025
On March 16, 2025 at about 3:30 am local time, a 1974 Beech E-55, registered N994WY, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Van Nuys, California (Van Nuys Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An in-flight collision with a bird during an approach to land.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 2025 · about 3:30 am local time · cases in 2025
- Place
- Van Nuys, California · Van Nuys Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech E-55, built 1974 · all E-55s on the register
- Registration
- N994WY · registry record · serial TE-1001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The right seat pilot reported that they were passing over mountainous terrain at 5,000 ft mean sea level when a bird shattered 75% of the airplane’s windshield. The airplane was substantially damaged, and the left seat pilot-rated passenger sustained minor injuries. The flight continued to its destination and landed without further incident. The right seat pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Birdstrike during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Animal(s)/bird(s) › Ability to respond/compensate
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,113.5 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 27.5 in the last 90 days; 14.5 in the last 30 days; 2,016.4 as pilot in command; 1,315.8 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 28, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,050 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,174.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-520-C7B (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-520-C7B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KVGT Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16R, 8,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 120° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 8:51 pm from KVNY, 18 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KVNY 160351Z 12003KT 10SM CLR 13/03 A3010 RMK AO2 SLP191 T01280028
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on May 12, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Mor Airport Operations | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N994WY on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Beechcraft E-55 214 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Beechcraft 6 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C7B 9,483 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Continental IO-520-C7B 9,483 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Van Nuys Airport · nearest airport
- North Las Vegas Airport · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,096 in the last ten years
- California 28,279 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR25LA113.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.