Reid-Hillview Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Jose, California 95122
Monday, May 30, 1994 15:13 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

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.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the separation of the right main landing gear axle from the gear strut for undetermined reasons related to component age.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/30/1994
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1513
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SAN JOSE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95122
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport REID-HILLVIEW
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RHV
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 133
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1516 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID RHV
Elevation of weather observation facility 133
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 557
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 30 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1527
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N847W
NTSB Number LAX94LA227
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PERTH AMBOY
Aircraft Model BIRD BK
Aircraft Series Identifier BIRD BK
Aircraft Serial Number 2049-29
Certified Max Gross Weight 1980
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 1 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 1532
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT & AMELIA REID
Aircraft Owner Street Address 489 HALSEY AVENUE
Aircraft Owner City SAN JOSE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95128
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AMELIA C. REID
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 489 HALSEY AVENUE
Operator City SAN JOSE
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 95128
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code WVI
Departure City WATSONVILLE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1440
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code RHV
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31R
Runway Length 3100
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --