Piper PA-32R-300 accident near San Jose, California, December 13, 1986
On December 13, 1986 at about 8:55 am local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N2209Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California (Reid Hillview airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
- December 13, 1986 · about 8:55 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-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N2209Q · no longer on the register · serial 32R7780233
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA 32R-300 LANDED SHORT OF THE RWY AFTER A LOSS OF POWER. THE PLT REPORTED DURING THE CLIMB THAT HE TURNED ON THE HEATER AND THE WINDSHIELD TURNED BLACK OBSCURING OUTSIDE VISION. THE PLT ALSO INDICATED THAT THERE WAS A 'PUNGENT ODOR' AT THE SAME TIME. THE PLT RETARDED THE THROTTLE AND THE WINDSHIELD BEGAN TO CLEAR. WHEN THE PLT ADVANCED THE THROTTLE TO RESUME THE CLIMB THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH AND THEN WOULD NOT PRODUCE POWER. HE WAS GIVEN RADAR VECTORS TOWARD AN AIRPORT. THE PLT INDICATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO JUDGE HIS POSITION IN RELATION TO THE AIRPORT DUE TO POOR VISIBILITY. HE PREMATURELY LOST ALTITUDE BY S-TURNING AND SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED SHORT OF AND PARALLEL TO THE RWY. THE AIRCRAFT'S ENG WAS EXAMINED UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF A FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR. IT WAS NOTED THAT 4 SPARK PLUGS HAD BEEN DAMAGED IN THE AREA OF THE ELECTRODE. FURTHER EXAMINATION DURING A TEARDOWN INSPECTION REVEALED THE MUFFLER HAD EXPLODED BLOCKING THE AIR INDUCTION SYSTEM.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,705 hours in all; 119 in this make and model; 266 in the last 90 days; 99 in the last 30 days; 2,524 as pilot in command; 180 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,745 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 1986; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TI0-540 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight East INC.
The flight
- Departed from: HWD Hayward CA at 8:30 am
- Destination: BUR Burbank CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31R, 3,101 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 am from NUQ, 12 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.