Cessna 150L accident near San Jose, California, May 27, 1987
On May 27, 1987 at about 7:21 am local time, a Cessna 150L, registered N6669G, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Jose, California (Reid-Hillview airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- May 27, 1987 · about 7:21 am local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · Reid-Hillview · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150L · all 150Ls on the register
- Registration
- N6669G · no longer on the register · serial 15072169
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APCH TO LAND ON RWY 31R AT NIGHT, THE ACFT FLEW TOO LOW, STRUCK TREES, THEN COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE PLT WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL WITH SERIOUS INJURIES & A BLOOD SAMPLE WAS DRAWN AT 0205 PDT. A CHECK OF HIS BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.14%. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS RPRTD.
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: 895 hours in all; 775 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 835 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,462 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 1986; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA at 5:00 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31R, 3,101 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft; not recorded at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:48 am from RHV, 1 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.