Cessna 177RG accident near San Jose, California, August 7, 1986
On August 7, 1986 at about 3:10 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N45188, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California (Reid Hillview airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- August 7, 1986 · about 3:10 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
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N45188 · registry record · serial 177RG1095
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS LANDED WITH THE GEAR IN THE PARTIALLY EXTENDED.TOWER PERSONNEL ATTEMPTED TO WARN THE PLT OF THE GEAR POSITION WITH USE OF THE RADIO AND LIGHT GUN SIGNALS; HOWEVER, THE LANDING WAS CONTINUED. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY FAILURE/MALFUNCTION. HOWEVER, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT IF THE GEAR HANDLE WAS LOWERED TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION FROM THE GEAR UP POSITION, THE LANDING GEAR WOULD LOWER TO THE TRAIL POSITION.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 486 hours in all; 186 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 356 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,146 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 17, 1986; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6W (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 036 Tracy CA at 2:25 pm
- Destination: RHV San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13L, 3,099 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; not recorded at 900 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:40 pm from RHV, 1 miles away
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.