# Accident 19980211001131A: Beech J35, Morgan Hill, CA, February 11, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 11, 1998, 15:25 local time
- Place: Morgan Hill, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Collision: Midair collision, first aircraft
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.1710° N, 121.6493° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.1710&lon=-121.6493&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8343D, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8343D-1999-03-19) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech J35 (registry code 1151522, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-j35) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH J35
- Reported engine: CONT IO470C
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 6,058 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98FA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA086) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980211001131A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

NEAR MISS WITH A AIRCRAFT THEN COLLIDED WITH NAIL GUARD C447D HELICOPTER. ROTORS CUT OFF J35 WING. NO ALTITUDE SQAW (.4)A FLIGHT OF TWO MILITARY HELICOPTERS WAS ON A NORTHERLY HEADING WHILE N8343D WAS ON A CONVERGING NORTHWESTERLY HEADING AT THE SAME ALTITUDE.  THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS THAT THE OCCUPANTS OF EITHER AIRCRAFT SAW EACH OTHER PRIOR TO COLLIDING IN MIDAIR.  THE CREW OF THE SECOND HELICOPTER SAW THE AIRPLANE APPROACHING, BUT DID NOT HAVE TIME TO RADIO A WARNING.  AFTER THE COLLISION, THE AIRPLANE ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT.  THE HELICOPTER PILOT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY, RUN-ON LANDING, AND MADE AN EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN.  THE 5 FEET 2 INCH AIRPLANE PILOT USED A PILLOW, PLACED ON THE SEAT BOTTOM TO INCREASE HIS SEATED HEIGHT.  THE SEAT DID NOT HAVE A VERTICAL ADJUSTMENT.  THE SUN WAS IN THE SOUTHWEST QUADRANT, WITH SCATTERED CLOUDS AND 20 MILES VISIBILITY.  THE TOP AND BOTTOM ROTATING BEACONS, AS WELL AS LANDING LIGHTS OF BOTH HELICOPTERS WERE ILLUMINATED.  THE HELICOPTER PILOT WAS FLIGHT FOLLOWING, BUT HAD NOT RECEIVED ANY CONFLICTING TRAFFIC ADVISORIES.  THE AIRPLA                                                                                                             NE PILOT WAS NOT COMMUNICATING WITH ATC. THE TRANSPONDER IN THE AIRPLANE WAS SQUAWKING 1200 BUT THE ALTITUDE WAS REPORTED AS ERRATIC AND UNRELIABLE.  THE INRELIABLE ALTITUE RETURNS FROM THE AIRPLANE DISABLED THE AUTOMATIC INTRUDER PROGRAM.  THE CONTROLLER DID NOT SEE THE AIRPLANE AS A PRIMARY TARGET BECAUSE HE WAS BUSY HANDLING OTHER TRAFFIC.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98FA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98FA086), Feb 11, 1998: Beech J35 (N8343D), Morgan Hill, CA, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain visual separation from N8343D approaching from his right. The controller's failure to provide a traffic advisory and the copilot's and flight engineer's…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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