Cessna 140 accident near San Jose, California, March 8, 2001
On March 8, 2001 at about 5:33 pm local time, a Cessna 140, registered N77J, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California (San Jose International airport). It was an instructional 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 failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 2001 · about 5:33 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · San Jose International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N77J · registry record · serial 11489
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, following a normal approach, the airplane bounced slightly on touchdown. As it touched down a second time, the aircraft started to veer to the right and, although he applied left rudder, the plane continued to veer more sharply to the right and a groundloop ensued. The left main landing gear strut collapsed and the aircraft came to rest on the right-hand edge of the runway about 800 feet from the threashold. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions and that weather was not a factor. The wind was calm.
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: student
- Flight time: 55 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 8 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 26, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,719 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 27, 2001; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJC San Jose CA at 5:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,599 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,300 ft; clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 5:30 pm from SJC
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 N77J 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.