Incident Overview
A single-engine Cessna 172 and a twin-engine Cessna 411 collided while both were operating under visual flight rules (VFR) en route to Van Nuys, California. The collision occurred from the 7 o'clock position relative to the single-engine aircraft. The Cessna 172 subsequently crashed, while the Cessna 411 landed without further incident.
Flight Details
The single-engine Cessna 172 was receiving traffic advisories from Burbank Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON). The aircraft was equipped with a transponder but lacked Mode C altitude reporting capability. The twin-engine Cessna 411 had departed from Fullerton, California, and was flying a circuitous route to Van Nuys in order to avoid the Airport Radar Service Area (ARSA). It was equipped with and actively using a transponder with Mode C.
Radar Information
A study of radar data revealed that the twin-engine Cessna 411 was displayed on the controller's radar scope for approximately four minutes before the collision. The controller did not issue a traffic advisory to the single-engine Cessna 172 pilot regarding the converging traffic. The TRACON system was not programmed to alert the controller of a potential conflict between a tracked target (the Cessna 172) and an untracked target (the Cessna 411).
Occupants and Damage
The source does not specify the number of occupants or any injuries. The single-engine Cessna 172 was destroyed in the crash. The twin-engine Cessna 411 sustained unspecified damage but landed safely.