Cessna 401A accident near San Francisco, California, January 28, 1984
On January 28, 1984 at about 9:38 pm local time, a Cessna 401A, registered N7KF, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Francisco, California (Sanfrancisco Intn'L airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- January 28, 1984 · about 9:38 pm local time
- Place
- San Francisco, California · Sanfrancisco Intn'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 401A · all 401As on the register
- Registration
- N7KF · no longer on the register · serial 4010110
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS LANDED GEAR UP AFTER ATTEMPTS TO LOWER THE GEAR WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED BECAUSE THE NOSE GEAR JAMMED THE MAIN GEAR DURING RETRACTION. THE JAMMING OCCURRED BECAUSE THE NOSE STRUT DID NOT EXTEND DUE TO LACKOF AIR PRESSURE. THE AIR CHARGE ADDED AFTER THE ACCIDENT WAS HOLDING 3 WEEKS LATER.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 91 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,592 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 12, 1984; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental ISIO 520-E8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SNA Santa Ana CA at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:44 pm from SFO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N7KF 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.