Reid-Hillview Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Jose, California 95148
Wednesday, November 12, 1986 6:30 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WENT THROUGH A FENCE AND COLLIDED WITH TREES AFTER A 'HAND-PROPPED' START. THE STUDENT PLT HAD EXHAUSTED THE ACFT BATTERY POWER DURING PREVIOUS STARTING ATTEMPTS. HE THEN TIED THE ACFT DOWN AT BOTH WINGS AND THE TAIL. HE PRIMED THE ENG WITH THE MIXTURE CONTROL FULL RICH, THROTTLE FULL OPEN AND THE MAGNETOS OFF. HE THEN OPENED THE THROTTLE APRX 1/4 INCH AND TURNED THE MAGNETOS ON. THE ENG STARTED IMMEDIATELY WHEN IT WAS HAND-PROPPED AND ACCELERATED TO A HIGH RPM. THE ACFT BROKE FREE OF THE TIE DOWN ROPES AND COLLIDED WITH AND PASSED THROUGH A CYCLONE FENCE. THE ACFT CAME TO REST WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TWO TREES ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/12/1986
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 630
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SAN JOSE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95148
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 11
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 600 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID SJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 133
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
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) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2281
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Nov 12 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1450
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 32937
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5153W
NTSB Number LAX87LA038
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-150
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-150
Aircraft Serial Number 28-185
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROGER A. GEARHART
Aircraft Owner Street Address 51 LOWELL STREET
Aircraft Owner City REDWOOD CITY
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 94062
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code RHV
Departure City SAN JOSE
Departure State CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 630
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PAO
Destination City PALO ALTO
Destination State CA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --