American General AG5B N1195L

Summary

On 13 November 1999 at about 01:38 local time, a American General AG5B registered N1195L, operated by D&S Aviation, was involved in an accident near Van Nuys, California, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

13 November 1999 at 01:38

Classification

Accident

Location

Van Nuys, California, United States

Nearest airport

Van Nuys (VNY)

Coordinates

34.1906, -118.4910

Aircraft

American General AG5B

Registration

N1195L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

D&S Aviation

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Bright

NTSB number

LAX00LA035

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's encounter with unknown and unanticipated wake turbulence from a heavy transport aircraft, which was landing at another airport. A factor in the accident was the tower controller's failure to repeat a previously broadcast wake turbulence cautionary advisory when the aircraft later checked in on tower frequency.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The outboard 1/3 of the aircraft's left wing was deformed upward about 5 degrees with respect to the inboard section during an encounter with wake turbulence while on downwind leg for landing. The upper wing skins of both wings exhibited compression buckling, and the mass balance weights on both ailerons were separated and fell from the aircraft. The pilot reported that the flight was unremarkable until, while downwind for landing, there was an instantaneous jolt of sudden severe turbulence that ended before he could take any action. Data obtained from the airport noise abatement office showed that 2 minutes 23 seconds prior to the encounter, a heavy transport aircraft passed over the location on an ILS approach to another airport 6 miles away; the transport airplane was about 500 feet higher than the accident airplane as it crossed the location. The air traffic control tower at the airport where the accident occurred made a wake turbulence cautionary broadcast to all aircraft 30 seconds prior to when the accident aircraft first contacted the tower for landing. The cautionary broadcast was not repeated.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.