Cessna 180 and Bellanca 7KCAB accident near San Jose, California, February 6, 1982
On February 6, 1982 at about 11:39 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 180 (N3343D) and Bellanca 7KCAB (N71681), were involved in the same accident near San Jose, California (Ried Hillview airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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
- February 6, 1982 · about 11:39 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · Ried Hillview
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N3343D · no longer on the register · serial 32141
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Bellanca 7KCAB · all 7KCABs on the register
- Registration
- N71681 · registry record
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 180 final · quoted from the NTSB record
BELLANCA N71681 HAD TAXIED OUT TO RUNWAY 31, AWAITING CLEARANCE FOR TAKEOFF. CESSNA N3343D TAXIED OUT TO THE RUNUP AREA NEAR RUNWAY 31. AFTER COMPLETING THE RUNUP, N3343D MADE A TURN TO THE LEFT TO CENTER INTO THE LINE OF TRAFFIC AWAITING TAKEOFF. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS LOOKING TO THE LEFT AS HE TURN THE AIRCRAFT AND THE RIGHT WING CAME IN CONTACT WITH THE PROPELLER OF N71681.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Bellanca 7KCAB final · quoted from the NTSB record
BELLANCA N71681 WAS AWAITING CLEARANCE FOR TAKEOFF WHEN CESSNA N3343D TAXIED INTO THE TURNING PROPELLER DURING A POSITIONING MANEUVER.
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 for the Cessna 180 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 717 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 564 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,176 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Bellanca 7KCAB from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 700 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA
- Destination: RHV San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N3343D 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.