Piper PA-28R-200 accident near San Jose, California, December 5, 1987
On December 5, 1987 at about 5:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N9309N, was destroyed in an accident near San Jose, California (Reid-Hillview airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 5, 1987 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · Reid-Hillview · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N9309N · no longer on the register · serial 28R35009
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SEVERAL MIN AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT NOTED A LOSS OF OIL PRESSURE & ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. AS HE WAS RETURNING, THE ENG BEGAN TO OVERSPEED, BUT HE CONTROLLED THE RPM BY RETARDING THE THROTTLE. THE WIND WAS FROM 150 DEG AT 10 KTS. THE PLT WAS CLRD TO ENTER TRAFFIC FOR RWY 13L, BUT HE ELECTED TO LAND IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION WITH A TAIL WIND. WHILE ON A SHORT FINAL APCH TO LAND ON RWY 31R, THE ACFT BALLOONED & THE PLT DECIDED TO GO AROUND. DRG THE GO-AROUND, THE ENG LOST POWER. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A UTILITY POLE, THEN CRASHED INTO A MULTI-FAMILY DWELLING & BURNED. OIL RESIDUE WAS FND ON THE LEFT SIDE & BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENG REVEALED THE #4 CONNECTING ROD HAD FAILED. ONLY ABOUT 1/2 PINT OF OIL WAS FND IN THE ENG. DUE TO IMPACT & FIRE DAMAGE, THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF OIL WAS NOT DETERMINED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 802 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 584 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,285 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 30, 1987; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: RHV at 5:30 pm
- Destination: 308 Coalinga CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 31R, 3,101 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:57 pm from RHV, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N9309N the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.