Perth Amboy BIRD BK accident near San Jose, California, May 30, 1994
On May 30, 1994 at about 10:13 pm local time, a Perth Amboy BIRD BK, registered N847W, 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 had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the separation of the right main landing gear axle from the gear strut for undetermined reasons related to component age.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 1994 · about 10:13 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · Reid-Hillview · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Perth Amboy BIRD BK · all BIRD BKs on the register
- Registration
- N847W · registry record · serial 2049-29
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the touchdown on runway 31 right was normal. After a short ground roll, the right main wheel and axle separated from the landing gear strut and the airplane subsequently nosed over. The pilot said that to the best of her knowledge the gear struts and axles are original equipment items on the 1929 year model biplane. The mode of axle failure was not determined.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 42,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 41,000 as pilot in command; 40,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,532 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1993; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,980 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kinner K5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: WVI Watsonville CA at 9:40 pm
- Destination: RHV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31R, 3,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:16 pm from RHV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 LAX94LA227.