Piper PA-32-301 accident near San Jose, California, December 5, 1985
On December 5, 1985 at about 1:30 am local time, a Piper PA-32-301, registered N82009, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California (San Jose Intl. airport). It was a personal 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
- December 5, 1985 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · San Jose Intl. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301 · all PA-32-301s on the register
- Registration
- N82009 · registry record · serial 32-8206033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER COMPLETING A PERSONAL FLIGHT THE PLT LANDED THE ACFT. UPON TOUCHDOWN ON THE 8899 FT-LONG BY 150 FT-WIDE RWY THE PLT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE ACFT. THERE WAS A 70 DEG, 8 KT. RIGHT X-WIND. THE ACFT OVERRAN THE RUNWAY'S EDGE, ENTERED A SOFT SHOULDER & ABRUPTLY CAME TO A STOP UPON VEERING 90 DEG TO ITS COURSE. THE PLT, WHO HAD 28.6 HRS OF TIME IN THE MODEL ACFT, ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HAD SHE APPLIED MORE RUDDER & BRAKE PRESSURE THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 428 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 98 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 411 as pilot in command; 74 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,142 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 15, 1985; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: S&G Flight Services
The flight
- Departed from: 2Q1 Visalia CA
- Destination: SJC San Jose CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 12, 8,899 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; scat at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:30 am from SJC
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 N82009 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.