Cessna 172P accident near San Jose, California, August 8, 2010
On August 8, 2010 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N64204, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near San Jose, California (Reid-Hillview Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 pilot’s improper flare and inadequate recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 2010 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · Reid-Hillview Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N64204 · no longer on the register · serial 17275534
- 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 after a cross-country flight, she maneuvered the airplane onto final approach while maintaining about 65 knots. The pilot flared too early and as a result, the airplane stalled and landed hard. The airplane bounced down the runway and the pilot continued to pull back on the control yoke. After the third bounce, the airplane touched down and came to a stop at the end of the runway. As the pilot was taxiing the airplane back to the parking area, she noticed that when the rudder was fully deflected to the right it made a clipping sound. When she exited the airplane, she examined the airplane and observed the propeller tips were bent. Postaccident examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall and fuselage. The pilot reported no mechanical failures or malfunctions prior to the accident.
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
What happened, in order
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 284 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 168 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 26, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ahart Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: KLVK Livemore CA at 8:20 pm
- Destination: KRHV San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13L, 3,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 8:48 pm from KRHV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
Other NTSB records under N64204 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.