Cessna 172P accident near San Jose, California, November 19, 2017
On November 19, 2017 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 1980 Cessna 172P, registered N52492, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near San Jose, California (Reid-Hillview Of Santa Clara C airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's delayed decision to execute an emergency landing and his attempt to return to the airport following a partial loss of power due to wear on internal engine components, which prevented the engine from developing full-rated power during the airplane's initial climb.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 19, 2017 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- San Jose, California · Reid-Hillview Of Santa Clara C · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P P, built 1980 · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52492 · no longer on the register · serial 17274540
- 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 during the takeoff for the personal flight, as the airplane reached about 50 ft above ground level, the airplane stopped climbing and the pilot was unable to maintain altitude. When the airplane stopped climbing, the pilot and pilot-rated passenger decided to examine the anomaly further as the pilot began a wide, shallow left turn and attempted to maintain altitude. A video showed that as the airplane completed the turn, it entered a steep bank angle and descended. The airplane's wings leveled out just before the airplane disappeared behind trees and impacted a trailer, trees, and a residence, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings, empennage, and fuselage. Examination of the area revealed that, had the pilot initiated an emergency landing straight ahead rather than troubleshooting the engine problem or attempting to return to the airport, the damage may have been reduced. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed the travel of two of the intake valve rockers was severely limited, the camshaft lobe that supported these intake valves was severely worn and had extensive pitting, and spalling damage was on the faces of the camshaft lifters supporting these intake valves. The decreased travel of the intake valves would have reduced the fuel/air mixture reaching the affected cylinders, thus reducing the overall power the engine could produce. A review of maintenance records revealed that owner had not complied with a manufacturer's mandatory service bulletin requiring a rocker arm inspection. While a service bulletin is not mandatory for Part 91 airplane owners, compliance with the service bulletin might have revealed the limited travel of the rocker arms and prevented the loss of engine power.
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
- Loss of engine power (partial) during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip engine power section › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Owner/builder
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 272.7 hours in all; 4.5 in this make and model; 22.8 in the last 90 days; 6.6 in the last 30 days; 157.6 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 21, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 233 hours in all; 8.5 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 6.9 in the last 30 days; 101 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,748.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 4, 2017; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 9,737 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RHV San Jose CA at 11:00 pm
- Destination: RHV San Jose CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31R, 3,100 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from RHV, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
13 documents, released by the NTSB on October 9, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Converations | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 4 | NTSB Airplane Examination Report | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Lycoming Service Bulletin 301B | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Lycoming Service Instructions SI1009AZ | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Excerpts from Pilot's Operating Handbook | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 8 | NTSB Weight and Balance Computation | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Aircraft Logbooks | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 11 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 12 | Accident Photographs | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 13 | Accident Video | video | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.