- Date
- March 15, 1985, 17:13 local (Mar 16, 1985, 01:13 UTC)
- Place
- San Jose, CA
- Injuries
- 158 uninjured
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2138GPiper PA-44-180N476ACMcdonnell Douglas DC-9
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 24558
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
A Piper seminule was vectored to the final apch course & cleared for an ILS apch at 3000FT MSL. A DC-9, in trail at 5000FT 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-9WAS subsequently issued an approach clearance & descent FROM5000FT, which compromised separation requirements. The conflict alert was missed, in part because it was identical with the terrain proximity alert, which sounded frequently.
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.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N2138G
- Reported as
- Piper PA-44-180
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 7995191
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-EIAD, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Bud Walen Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- VNY · Van Nuys, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- SJC · San Jose Intl, runway 30, 4,419 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
- Registration
- N476AC
- Reported as
- Mcdonnell Douglas DC-9
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 48028
- Engine
- P&W JT8D-9, 14,500 lbs thrust, turbo fan
- Damage
- No damage
- Flight
- Part 121
- Operator
- Air California
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Transport
- Departed
- SNA · Santa Ana, CA
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- SJC · San Jose Intl, runway 30, 8,899 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N2138G
- Age
- 62
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 839 total · 15 in this make and model · 716 as pilot in command · 30 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N476AC
- Age
- 42
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 17,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 330° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 52 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SJC, 10 nm away