Cessna 402A accident near San Jose, California, September 4, 1985
On September 4, 1985 at about 10:51 pm local time, a Cessna 402A, registered N4597Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California (Reid Hillview airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 4, 1985 · about 10:51 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · Reid Hillview · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402A · all 402As on the register
- Registration
- N4597Q · no longer on the register · serial 402A0097
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT LANDED GEAR UP. THE PILOT REPORTED NO MALFUNCTION AND SAID HE FORGET TO LOWER THE LANDING GEAR.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,421 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 209 in the last 90 days; 3,311 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,245 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 6, 1985; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aero Trends, INC
The flight
- Departed from: SQL San Carlos CA at 10:35 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31R, 3,101 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from RHV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.