Cessna 152 accident near San Jose, California, February 7, 1986
On February 7, 1986 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N95139, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California (San Jose Intl airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- February 7, 1986 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · San Jose Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N95139 · no longer on the register · serial 15285856
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A CESSNA 152 COLLIDED WITH THE RUNWAY SURFACE AFTER THE NOSE GEAR SEPARATED. THE AIRCRAFT FLARED TOO HIGH AND BOUNCED ON LANDING. ON THE SECOND BOUNCE THE NOSE GEAR SEPARATED. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK OVER THE CONTROLS AND LANDED THE AIRCRAFT ON THE NOSE COWLING. THE CFI WAS A NEW INSTRUCTOR AND HAD LOGGED APPROXIMATELY 450 HOURS TOTAL TIME.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 450 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 425 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 908 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 4, 1986; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-N2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJC San Jose CA at 7:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30R, 4,419 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.