Accident
The pilot was originally destined for Burbank but diverted to Van Nuys after ascertaining that Burbank's weather had deteriorated. Air traffic control (ATC) issued an instrument clearance for the ILS 16R approach. As the pilot proceeded inbound, ATC stated, "report canceling, I'll be monitoring." When the aircraft was north of the airport at about 2,000 feet MSL, the pilot informed ATC that he had the airport in sight. He did not request closure of his flight plan.
Subsequently, the pilot descended to 900 feet, entered a fog bank, initiated a missed approach, and climbed to 1,200 feet. The aircraft then descended and impacted a taxiway near midfield, sliding 700 feet before colliding with five parked airplanes. The impacts activated several emergency locator transmitters (ELTs).
No FAA ground-based receiver recorded the ELT signals, which were eventually heard by the SARSAT satellite system. The airplane was found four hours after the crash, after the pilot had succumbed to his injuries.
Weather and Witness Report
A pilot on the ground reported that a fog bank moved over the airport from west to east at the time the aircraft was landing. The visibility was reported by the witness to be 20 feet at the time of the accident.
ATC and Flight Plan
The controller took no action regarding the radar target's disappearance, and the aircraft's instrument flight plan remained open.
Pilot and Operator
The operator had failed to provide required training to the pilot, who had a history of unsatisfactory instrument flying performance.