North American NAVION A accident near San Jose, California, June 16, 1986
On June 16, 1986 at about 11:10 pm local time, a North American NAVION A, registered N91608, 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; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 1986 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · Reid-Hillview · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American NAVION A · all NAVION As on the register
- Registration
- N91608 · registry record · serial NAV-4-341
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT'S ENGINE FAILED APRX 10 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A UTILITY POLE DURING THE FORCED LANDING THAT FOLLOWED. POST ACCIDENT INPSECTION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED ON THE AUX TANK. THE MAIN FUEL TANKS WERE FULL. THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND RAN NORMALLY WHEN FUEL FROM THE MAIN TANK WAS SELECTED. THE ENGINE RAN ONLY 17 SECONDS BEFORE QUITTING WHEN THE AUX TANK WAS SELECTED.
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: 687 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 587 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,668 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1986; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,233 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 55 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:13 pm from RHV, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX86LA254.