San Jose Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

San Jose, California 95110
Friday, March 15, 1985 17:13 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

A PIPER SEMINULE WAS VECTORED TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE & CLEARED FOR AN ILS APCH AT 3000FT MSL. A DC-9, IN TRAIL AT 5000 FT MSL, WAS OVERTAKING THE SEMINULE. THE CONTROLLER ELECTED TO CHANGE THEIR SEQUENCE & CLEARED THE SEMINULE TO CLIMB TO 4000FT MSL DUE TO RISING TERRAIN & MAKE A RIGHT 360. THE DC-9 WAS SUBSEQUENTLY ISSUED AN APPROACH CLEARANCE & DESCENT FROM 5000FT, WHICH COMPROMISED SEPA4RATION REQUIREMENTS. THE CONFLICT ALERT WAS MISSED, IN PART BECAUSE IT WAS IDENTICAL WITH THE TERRAIN PROXIMITY ALERT, WHICH SOUNDED FREQUENTLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/15/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1713
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City SAN JOSE
Event State CALIFORNIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 95110
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator --
On Ground Collision occurred ? --
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SAN JOSE INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SJC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 6
Degrees magnetic from airport 30
Airport Elevation 56
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1645 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 305
Weather Observation Facility ID SJC
Elevation of weather observation facility 56
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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 158
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5026
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 16 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28362
Date of most recent change to record Apr 9 2001 10:27AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N2138G N476AC
NTSB Number LAX85IA175A LAX85IA175B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 121: Air Carrier
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage None None
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER MCDONNELL DOUGLAS
Aircraft Model PA-44-180 DC-9
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-44-180 DC-9
Aircraft Serial Number 7995191 48028
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800 114000
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6 160
Number of Engines 2 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown Unknown
Date of Last Inspection -- --
Airframe hours since last inspection -- --
Airframe Hours -- --
ELT Installed Yes No
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name
Aircraft Owner Street Address
Aircraft Owner City
Aircraft Owner State
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name BUD WALEN AVIATION AIR CALIFORNIA
Operator Same as Owner? No No
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No No
Operator Street Address 7150 HAYVENHURST AVENUE 3636 BIRCH ST
Operator City VAN NUYS NEWPORT BEACH
Operator State CA CA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 91406 92660
Operator Code OC
Owner has at least one certificate None Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown Unknown
Operator Certificate Number -- --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not -- Scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight -- Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail -- Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Business Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No No
Departure Airport Code VNY SNA
Departure City VAN NUYS SANTA ANA
Departure State CA CA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1525 1600
Departure Time Zone PST PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach Approach
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 30 30
Runway Length 4419 8899
Runway Width 150 150
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --