Piper PA 24-250 and Cessna 172N accident near San Jose, California, January 18, 2014
On January 18, 2014, 2 aircraft, Piper PA 24-250 (N6570P) and Cessna 172N (N737CL), were involved in the same accident near San Jose, California (Reid-Hillview Of Santa Clara C airport). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to sump the fuel tanks, which resulted in water contamination, a partial loss of engine power during takeoff, and collision with a taxiing airplane during the subsequent forced landing.
The other pilot’s failure to sump the fuel tanks, which resulted in water contamination, a partial loss of engine power during takeoff, and collision with the taxiing airplane during the subsequent forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 2014
- Place
- San Jose, California · Reid-Hillview Of Santa Clara C · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Piper PA 24-250, built 1960 · all PA 24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6570P · no longer on the register · serial 24-1692
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna 172N, built 1977 · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N737CL · no longer on the register · serial 17269313
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA 24-250 final · quoted from the NTSB record
This was the first flight for the Piper airplane in the last 3 months, during which time, it was parked on a ramp outside in the winter. The pilot reported that he performed a preflight inspection but that he did not sump the fuel system. The airplane's main fuel tanks were full with fuel, and the fuel selector valves were set to the main fuel tanks. Shortly after takeoff at an altitude of about 300 to 400 feet above ground level, the engine began to "sputter" with a corresponding partial loss of power. The pilot cycled the throttle control with no change in engine power and then turned back toward the airport. The airplane did not have sufficient altitude to reach a runway, so the pilot performed a gear-up landing onto a taxiway. After landing, the airplane slid across the taxiway surface and struck a taxiing Cessna airplane; both airplanes sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation, and it started and ran smoothly during a subsequent test run. Given the pilot's failure to sump the fuel system and the fact that the engine did not experience a total loss of engine power, it is likely that the fuel system became contaminated with water while the airplane sat on the ramp for the preceding 3 months.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172N final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Cessna airplane was taxiing when a Piper airplane collided with it. This was the first flight for the Piper airplane in the last 3 months, during which time, it was parked on a ramp outside in the winter. The pilot reported that he performed a preflight inspection but that he did not sump the fuel system. The airplane's main fuel tanks were full with fuel, and the fuel selector valves were set to the main fuel tanks. Shortly after takeoff at an altitude of about 300 to 400 feet above ground level, the engine began to "sputter" with a corresponding partial loss of power. The pilot cycled the throttle control with no change in engine power and then turned back toward the airport. The airplane did not have sufficient altitude to reach a runway, so the pilot performed a gear-up landing onto a taxiway. After landing, the airplane slid across the taxiway surface and struck the taxiing Cessna airplane; both airplanes sustained substantial damage. Postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation, and it started and ran smoothly during a subsequent test run. Given the pilot's failure to sump the fuel system and the fact that the engine did not experience a total loss of engine power, it is likely that the fuel system became contaminated with water while the airplane sat on the ramp for the preceding 3 months.
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 for the Piper PA 24-250 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Fuel contamination during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 850 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 0 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 10, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 12, 2013; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 SERIES (piston); 1,918 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA
- Destination: 0Q9 Sonoma CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31R, 3,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna 172N from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi (from runway)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › (general) › Pilot of other aircraft
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,000 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 900 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 9, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 38 hours in all; 38 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,770 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 3, 2014; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 529 hours total
- Operator: Nice Air
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA
- Destination: RHV San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31L, 3,099 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.