Reid-Hillview Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Jose, California 95112
Wednesday, May 27, 1987 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON FINAL APCH TO LAND ON RWY 31R AT NIGHT, THE ACFT FLEW TOO LOW, STRUCK TREES, THEN COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN. THE PLT WAS TAKEN TO A HOSPITAL WITH SERIOUS INJURIES & A BLOOD SAMPLE WAS DRAWN AT 0205 PDT. A CHECK OF HIS BLOOD SHOWED AN ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 0.14%. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS RPRTD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/27/1987
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 21
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SAN JOSE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95112
Event Date Year 1987
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 Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 133
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2148 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 130
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 PDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2200
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 669
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 27 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 30
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 33836
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:23PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6669G
NTSB Number LAX87LA218
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 150L
Aircraft Series Identifier 150L
Aircraft Serial Number 15072169
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 Jun 1 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 81
Airframe Hours 3462
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FIREBAUGH, EDWARD C.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 944 LEONELLO
Aircraft Owner City LOS ALTOS
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94022
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FIREBAUGH, EDWARD C.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 944 DEONELLO
Operator City LOS ALTOS
Operator State CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 94022
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 RHV
Departure City SAN JOSE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 2200
Departure Time Zone PDT
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 Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 31R
Runway Length 3101
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --