Reid-Hillview Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Jose, California 95112
Sunday, February 26, 1995 11:10 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING TOUCH-AND-GO TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE LAST TAKEOFF, ABOUT 900 FT AGL, THE ENGINE '...SPUTTERED AND THEN LOST POWER...', AND THE AIRPLANE'S NOSE DROPPED. GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIPLANE WAS CLIMBING AT A HIGH ANGLE-OF-ATTACK WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER. THE LEFT WING ABRUPTLY ROTATED ABOUT THE AIRPLANE'S LONGITUDINAL AXIS, WITH THE NOSE SIMULTANEOUSLY PITCHING DOWN TO A NEAR-VERTICAL ATTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEFT SPIN. THE PROPELLER SEPARATED AT IMPACT; BLADE DAMAGE WAS INDICATIVE OF THE ENGINE PRODUCING POWER AT IMPACT. ENGINE EXAMINATION SHOWED THAT IT WAS CAPABLE OF PRODUCING POWER. THE AIRPLANE IS EQUIPPED WITH A GRAVITY-FED FUEL SYSYTEM. A CFI, WHO INSTRUCTS IN THE 7ECA, STATED THAT IT IS POSSIBLE TO SUSTAIN A MOMENTARY LOSS OF POWER DURING CLIMB IF THE PILOT ABRUPTLY PUSHES THE STICK FORWARD CREATING A ZERO TO ONE NEGATIVE G. THE ENGINE WOULD RESTART WHEN A POSITIVE G LOADING OCCURS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER CLIMB ATTITUDE WHICH RESULTED IN A MOMENTARY LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL STARVATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/26/1995
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1110
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SAN JOSE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95112
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 2
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 130
Airport Elevation 133
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1115 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 310
Weather Observation Facility ID RHV
Elevation of weather observation facility 133
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 2200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 259
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Feb 26 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1130
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:03PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9198L
NTSB Number LAX95FA119
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 7ECA
Aircraft Series Identifier 7ECA
Aircraft Serial Number 819-72
Certified Max Gross Weight 1650
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 Sep 30 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 67
Airframe Hours 2647
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DAVID C. GRAY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 735 PINEVIEW DR
Aircraft Owner City SAN JOSE
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 95117
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent - uncontrolled
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 13R
Runway Length 3099
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --