- Date
- May 6, 2007, 17:30 local (May 7, 2007, 00:30 UTC)
- Place
- San Jose, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N8581WPiper PA28-235
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2007
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- San Jose FSDO
- FAA report
- 20070506007949A
- Case key
- 65710
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Wind shear encounter during approach for landing.
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
The pilot reported that while on short final to runway 31R, approximately 30 feet above ground level (agl), he encountered a "lurching, slamming sensation and the aircraft lunged toward the ground." The pilot stated he applied "full" power, however the airplane continued to descend and struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the landing gear and wing. The pilot reported that he encountered "severe low-level wind shear" while on final approach. He estimated an airspeed loss of 15-20 knots at 30 feet agl. The pilot reported that the winds were from 300 degrees (magnetic) at 15 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while on short final to runway 31R, approximately 30 feet above ground level (agl), he encountered a "lurching, slamming sensation and the aircraft lunged toward the ground." The pilot stated he applied "full" power, however the airplane continued to descend and struck the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the landing gear and wing.
The pilot reported that he encountered "severe low-level wind shear" while on final approach. He estimated an airspeed loss of 15-20 knots at 30 feet agl.
The pilot reported that the winds were from 300 degrees (magnetic) at 15 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8581W
- Reported as
- Piper PA28-235
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-10093
- Engine
- Lycoming O-540, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Greg Illes
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- OVE · Oroville, CA
- Destination
- RHV · San Jose, CA
- Airport
- RHV · Reid-Hillview Of Santa Clara C, runway 31R, 3,100 × 75 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.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,244 total · 2,700 in this make and model · 28 in the last 90 days · 11 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 15 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.