Bellanca 14-13-2 accident near San Jose, California, September 22, 1982
On September 22, 1982 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Bellanca 14-13-2, registered N74440, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California (Ried-Hillview airport). It was an instructional 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 22, 1982 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · Ried-Hillview
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 14-13-2 · all 14-13-2s on the register
- Registration
- N74440 · no longer on the register · serial 1553
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LANDED SHORT OF THE RWY. THE PLT STATED HE WAS DEMONSTRATING A 3-POINT LANDING & HIS ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED BY ANSWERING A QUESTION.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,009 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,150 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Frankin 6A4-150-B3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA at 3:00 pm
- Destination: RHV San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,101 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 180°F (82°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:59 pm from SJC, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.