Piper PA-28-151 accident near San Jose, California, April 10, 1986
On April 10, 1986 at about 4:03 am local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N9237K, 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 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
- April 10, 1986 · about 4:03 am 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
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N9237K · no longer on the register · serial 287615187
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AFTER A COMPLETE LOSS OF PWR WHILE ON FINAL APCH. POST ACCIDENT EXAM OF THE ACFT DISCLOSED NO FUEL IN EITHER THE MAIN TANKS NOR IN THE CARBURETOR FUEL LINE. THE PLT INDICATED ON HIS PLT/OPERATOR ACCIDENT REPORT THE RIGHT AND LEFT FUEL TANKS WERE RUN DRY DURING THE FLT. HE ALSO INDICATED THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS.
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: 180 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 132 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,920 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 7, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 308 Harris Ranch CA at 1:00 am
- Destination: RHV San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31R, 3,101 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:05 pm from RHV, 6 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.