Bellanca 7ECA accident near San Jose, California, August 30, 2005
On August 30, 2005 at about 6:35 pm local time, a Bellanca 7ECA, registered N53893, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California (Reid-Hillview 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 failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing flare, which resulted in a collision with an runway sign.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2005 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · Reid-Hillview · 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 impacted a runway sign during an aborted landing after it drifted off the runway centerline during the landing flare. According to the pilot's written statement, he conducted his approach at an idle power setting while performing a slip. At the point of touchdown, the pilot experienced a "sudden and strong side drift to the right." The pilot applied full power to abort the landing and was attempting to correct back to the runway centerline when the airplane's lower fuselage impacted a runway sign. The impact with the sign resulted in the failure of an aileron control rod, and limited airplane control. The pilot diverted to an airport with a larger runway and landed uneventfully. The wind at the accident airport was reported as variable at 5 knots about 30 minutes prior to the landing. Thirty minutes following the event, the wind was reported as a 10-knot headwind with a 10-degree offset to the right from the runway centerline. The pilot reported no previous anomalies with the airplane or engine that would have prevented their normal operations.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31R, 3,101 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 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.