NTSB Factual Report

On April 24, 2015, about 1200 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 150M, N6211K, and a Diamond DA20, N309EF, sustained damage during a ground collision at Van Nuys Airport (VNY), Van Nuys, California. The Cessna sustained substantial damage and the Diamond sustained minor damage. The private pilot and pilot rated passenger of the Cessna, and the student pilot of the Diamond were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for either of the local flights, which were both conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91.

The pilot of the Cessna was cleared by ground control to taxi to runway 16 via taxiways A and C, and communication was maintained with the ground controller during the taxi. The Cessna pilot was instructed to stay to the right side of taxiway A for opposite direction traffic to which he complied. As the Cessna approached taxiway A1 the pilot noted the Diamond airplane at his 10 o'clock position entering his pathway. The Cessna pilot applied brakes; however, the two airplanes collided on taxiway A. The Cessna pilot reported that he was not advised by the ground controller of the Diamond entering taxiway A before the collision. The second pilot on board the Cessna acknowledged the clearance to taxi and stated that the airplane was taxied at an appropriate and safe speed. The second pilot did not witness the collision as he was looking out of the right window at the time.

The student pilot of the Diamond received clearance from ground control to taxi to the run-up area for runway 16R via A1. The Diamond pilot reached the end of taxiway A1, stopped and noted that there was a jet to his right on taxiway A. The Diamond pilot stated that he observed both directions before slowly proceeding left onto taxiway A when he observed a Cessna on taxiway A moving around a jet and approaching. The Diamond pilot reported that he immediately stopped in order to see what the Cessna pilot was going to do when he was struck by the Cessna.

The Diamond sustained damage to the propeller with about half of the length of each wooden propeller blade broken off. The Cessna sustained substantial damage to the leading edge of the left wing.

Review of airport surveillance video at the time of the accident showed the accident Cessna taxing north bound on taxiway A and converging with the Diamond before the collision occurred. On site documentation did not reveal any obstructions in the area around where the collision occurred.

Review of radio transmissions revealed that both pilots received and acknowledged clearance instructions from ground control; however, neither pilot was given information about one another's position on the airport. 17 seconds before the collision occurred, the ground controller began issuing instructions to another aircraft; this transmission continued as the collision occurred between the Cessna and the Diamond.

NTSB Probable Cause

Both pilots' failure to see and avoid each other, which resulted in an on-ground collision while taxiing. Contributing to the accident was the ground controller's failure to notify either pilot about the presence of the other airplane on the taxiway.