Cessna 414 accident near San Jose, California, September 29, 2017
On September 29, 2017, a 1973 Cessna 414, registered N1652T, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near San Jose, California (Norman Y Mineta San Jose Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain a proper descent rate, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 2017
- Place
- San Jose, California · Norman Y Mineta San Jose Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414 Undesignat, built 1973 · all 414s on the register
- Registration
- N1652T · registry record · serial 414-0432
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was cleared to land on runway 30R, but when he turned to the base leg, he observed a large airplane on final for 30L. However, he continued the approach, and the landing flare was normal, but the airplane landed hard. He recalled that the airplane "seemed ok," and he taxied to parking. The following week, the airplane underwent an annual inspection. The inspection revealed that the left wing false spar and trunnion were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Prop/jet/rotor blast/suction during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,319 hours in all; 2,458 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 3,165 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 28, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,517.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 8, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 6,350 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO-520 NB (piston); 650 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TSIO-520 NB (piston); 695 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJC San Jose CA at 10:15 pm
- Destination: SJC San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30R, 11,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N1652T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number GAA17CA581.