# Accident 20200802014109A: Cessna 172S, San Jose, CA, August 2, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 2, 2020, 10:17 local time
- Place: San Jose, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.3378° N, 121.8003° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3378&lon=-121.8003&mi=10
- Aircraft: N55231, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N55231) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172S (registry code 2072439, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (registry code 41597, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-360-l2a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- Reported engine: LYCOMING IO-360-L2A
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,350 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR20LA256](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA256) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200802014109A

## Narrative

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

SAN JOSE, CA (RHV): N55231, C172, RHVORIG RPTD AS BIRD STRIKE DOWNWIND RWY31R.

DATA WAS REMOVED FROM THE GARMIN G1000.  DATA TRACKS WERE REMOVED AND LAID OUT USING GOOGLE EARTH, THE PILOT IDENTIFIED THE APPROXIMATE AREA ON THE CHART OF THE IMPACT.  GROUND CREW WERE SENT TO SEARCH THE AREA WHERE THEY FOUND A LARGE DEAD BIRD WITH A NEARLY 6 FOOT WING SPAN WITH 5 INCH TALONS.

## 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 WPR20LA256](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA256), Aug 2, 2020: Cessna 172 (N55231), San Jose, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The airplane’s collision with a bird while maneuvering in the airport traffic pattern.

## Other reports on N55231 (1)

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

- [Accident 20260611005979A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260611005979A), Jun 11, 2026: Cessna 172S (N55231), San Jose, CA, Substantial damage. As the flight arrived in the practice area, one eights-on-pylons maneuver was completed before repositioning to new pylons slightly north of the aircraft’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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