Cessna 404 accident near San Francisco, California, June 20, 1984
On June 20, 1984 at about 4:14 pm local time, a Cessna 404, registered N5340J, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Francisco, California (San Francisco Intl airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
- June 20, 1984 · about 4:14 pm local time
- Place
- San Francisco, California · San Francisco Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 404 · all 404s on the register
- Registration
- N5340J · no longer on the register · serial 4040662
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NOSE BAGGAGE DOOR OF THE ACFT CAME OPEN RIGHT AFTER THE GEAR WAS RAISED DURING TAKEOFF. THE PLT SAID THE ACFT BEGAN TO PITCH UP & ROLL RIGHT. HE FELT THAT CONTROL OF THE ACFT WAS IN DOUBT, SO HE ABORTED THE INTERSECTION TAKEOFF & LANDED GEAR-UP ON THE REMAINING RWY. NOTHING WAS FOUND WRONG WITH THE UNDAMAGED NOSE BAGGAGE DOOR.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,837 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 165 in the last 90 days; 1,781 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,559 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 24, 1984; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sierra Express INC
The flight
- Departed from: SFO
- Destination: SFO Reno NV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28R, 11,800 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 15 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,100 ft; not recorded at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:20 pm from SFO
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.