# Incident 20010721020479I: Piper PA28161, San Jose, CA, July 21, 2001

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 21, 2001, 19:40 local time
- Place: San Jose, CA
- Airport: San Jose International
- Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.3394° N, 121.8950° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of San Jose, CA, within about 8 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3394&lon=-121.8950&mi=10
- Aircraft: N8256E, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N8256E) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-161 (registry code 7102803, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-320 series (registry code 41508, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-320-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28161
- Reported engine: LYC O320D3G
- Pilot flight hours: 277 total, 5 in this make and model, 28 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010721020479I

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON JULY 21, 2001 AT APPROXIMATELY 1940 PDT AIRCRAFT N8256E MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING AT SAN JOSE, CA INTL AIRPORT (SJC) RUNWAY 29 DUE TO FUEL DEPLETION. AIRCRAFT HAD DEPARTED FROM FRESNO SIERRA SKYPARK AIRPORT (Q60) FOR A FLIGHT TO PALO ALTO, CA AIRPORT (PAO) WITH SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR THE 1.5 HR FLIGHT. THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRCRAFT, STATED THAT SHE PERFORMED A THOROUGH PREFLIGHT PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM FRESNO SIERRA SKYPARK AIRPORT (Q60). INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AT SAN JOSE, CA AIRPORT (SJC) AFTER THE EMERGENCY LANDING REVEALED A STUCK OPEN FUEL GASCOLATOR DRAIN VALVE. PILOT ALSO STATED THAT SHE TOOK A FUEL SAMPLE DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION FROM THE GASCOLATER AND THAT IT APPEARED TO SHUT OFF NORMALLY. THE PILOT DEMONSTRATED SUPERIOR SKILL MAKING A SAFE EMERGENCY LANDING WITH NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED.

## Other reports on N8256E (3)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20241022017499I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20241022017499I), Oct 22, 2024: Piper PA-28-161 (N8256E), Hayward, CA, Minor damage. Aircraft [privacy data omitted]departed pao 10/22/2024. Upon departure, aircraft lost right rear main landing gear. Pilot elected to land at hwd due to longer…
- [Incident 20011018030489I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20011018030489I), Oct 18, 2001: Piper PA28161 (N8256E), Losthills, CA, Minor damage. (-23) Student pilot on solo x-country flight from palo alto airport (pao) to atwater, CA (mer) and return to pao failed to reset the directional heading…
- [Incident 19860128060649I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860128060649I), Jan 28, 1986: Piper PA28161 (N8256E), Hollister, CA, Minor damage. After landing,solo student made a turnoff at intersection with too much speed and lost directional control.

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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