Jet in Crash Was Carrying Film Director

The business jet that crashed on landing at Van Nuys Airport on Tuesday was carrying a well-known film director, and the pilot deliberately veered the runaway aircraft into an apron where planes were parked so the collisions would prevent the craft from hurtling onto a busy city street, the owners of the jet said Wednesday.

The sole passenger aboard the Gulfstream II, which came to rest against a fence and tree, was director Barry Sonnenfeld, the director’s office confirmed.

There were no injuries but the careening jet struck four planes, causing tens of thousands of dollars in damage, airport officials said.

Shortly after a normal landing, pilot Georgia Holzmann found she could not slow the plane, said Mischa Hausserman, chief executive officer of Tran-Exec Air Services Inc., the 20-year-old company that owns the plane.

Fearing it might otherwise run off the airport and onto Vanowen Boulevard, Holzmann chose to veer the jet to the left into the aircraft parking area, Hausserman said.

The plane struck a flat concrete structure on the grass strip beside the runway before slamming into a chain-link fence and the planes, said Howard Plagens, an air safety investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board.

Holzmann, who has been with the company nine years, has taken a leave of absence while the accident is investigated, Hausserman said.

Hausserman said his employees were shocked by the accident. “We have never had any incident or accident or violation on the ground or in the air,” he said.

Mark Sullivan, owner of Skytrails Aviation, which provides ramp space and fueling services for the Gulfstream II, said the pilot mentioned no problems with the jet when she radioed the air traffic control tower 10 to 15 minutes before landing.

Sonnenfeld was flying into Van Nuys from New York for post-production work on Warner Bros.’ “The Wild, Wild West,” a film starring Will Smith and Kevin Kline and set to open Independence Day weekend.

Sonnenfeld’s directing credits include “The Addams Family” in 1991 and “Men in Black” in 1997. He also runs Sonnenfeld Josephson Worldwide Entertainment, with partner Barry Josephson.

Staff writer Andrew Blankstein contributed to this story.