Piper PA-22-150 accident near San Jose, California, October 31, 1987
On October 31, 1987 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N4771A, was destroyed in an accident near San Jose, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were 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
- October 31, 1987 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N4771A · no longer on the register · serial 223919
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE FLYING 500-600 FEET ABOVE THE TERRAIN ON A LOCAL PLEASURE FLIGHT, THE PILOT TURNED INTO WHAT HE BELIEVED TO BE AN OPEN ENDED CANYON. AFTER BECOMING AWARE THAT HE HAD INADVERTENTLY TURNED INTO A BOX CANYON, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A 'CHANDELLE TURN' TO EXIT THE CANYON. AS THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETED THE TURN THE RIGHT WING COLLIDED WITH A TREE.THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND AND A SMALL FIRE ERUPTED.
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: 645 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 550 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,228 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 26, 1987; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA at 5:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.