Cessna 172M accident near San Jose, California, September 1, 1982
On September 1, 1982 at about 2:38 am local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N80301, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California (San Jose Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- September 1, 1982 · about 2:38 am local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · San Jose Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N80301 · no longer on the register · serial 17266507
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN A LANDING GEAR, DAMAGED BY A WIRE STRIKE, COLLAPSED DURING LANDING. WITNESSES INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD ENTERED A NARROW VALLEY AT TREETOP LEVEL. BROKEN POWER LINES STARTED A GRASS FIRE WHICH WAS EVENTUALLY BROUGHT UNDER CONTROL. AFTER THE FLIGHT, THE AIRCREW FILED A NEAR-MIDAIR REPORT, CLAIMING THEY HAD HIT A POWER LINE WHILE AVOIDING AN IMMINENT COLLISION. HOWEVER, A REVIEW OF THE ARTCC DARTS (RADAR) DATA REVEALED NO OTHER AIRCRAFT IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY AT THAT TIME.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,540 hours in all; 330 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 1,415 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,555 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flying Twenties INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Fremont CA at 6:10 pm
- Destination: San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 4,418 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 167°F (75°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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.