- Date
- October 31, 1987, 09:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- San Jose, CA
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N4771APiper PA-22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 24, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19871031061529A
- Case key
- 25896
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
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
While flying 500-600 feet above the terrain on a local pleasure flight, the pilot turned into what he believed to be an open ended canyon. After becoming aware that he had inadvertently turned into a box canyon, the pilot attempted a 'chandelle turn' to exit the canyon. As the aircraft completed the turn the right wing collided with a tree. The aircraft impacted the ground and a small fire erupted.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4771A
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 223919
- Airframe hours
- 1,228
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Riffle, David T.
- Registered owner
- David T Riffle
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 26, 1987 · 15 hours before
- Departed
- RHV · San Jose, CA
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.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 37
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 645 total · 450 in this make and model · 550 as pilot in command · 20 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 8,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.