Bellanca 7ECA accident near San Jose, California, February 15, 2001
On February 15, 2001 at about 7:17 pm local time, a Bellanca 7ECA, registered N53893, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California (Reid-Hillview Of Santa Claraco 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate compensation for the existing crosswind condition and subsequent failure to maintain directional control during the landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 2001 · about 7:17 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · Reid-Hillview Of Santa Claraco · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N53893 · registry record · serial 1140-76
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered off the runway during landing and collided with obstacles. The pilot planned to practice takeoffs and landings in the airport's traffic pattern. No problems with the airplane were noted during the taxi out, takeoff, or final approach. On final approach, the pilot observed the presence of a left crosswind, and he entered a slip to compensate for the airplane's drift. However, the pilot failed to maintain directional control during the landing roll in the conventional gear airplane. It veered off runway 31R and impacted the airport's anemometer. At 1117, the wind at the airport was from 230 degrees at 7 knots.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 248 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 167 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 29, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,403 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2000; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA at 11:00 am
- Destination: RHV San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31R, 3,101 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 7:17 pm from RHV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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 N53893 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.