A 1968 Cessna 177A Cardinal airplane made an emergency landing in the middle of Capitol Expressway at Excalibur Drive in east San Jose on Saturday, Oct. 17. The aircraft, carrying two adults and a child, came to rest nose-down and tail-up. All three occupants were transported to a hospital with injuries that San Jose police later described as not life-threatening.
The pilot radioed, “We are having engine failure, having an emergency,” about three minutes after the airplane departed from Reid-Hillview Airport. Records cited by NBC Bay Area indicated the departure occurred at 3:06 p.m. The San Jose Fire Department first reported an aircraft down around 3:10 p.m. Firefighters addressed a small fuel leak at the scene, as reported by KTVU. San Jose police stated that no vehicles were struck and that drugs or alcohol did not appear to be factors in the incident.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are both investigating the crash. An FAA statement on Sunday noted the aircraft was a Cessna 177 and that the pilot reported “engine issues” before it went down. The NTSB’s preliminary report, which typically outlines facts such as flight track, weather, and pilot certification without assigning a cause, is expected within about 30 days, placing it around mid-November. Determining the probable cause takes a longer period.
Footage of the incident, captured by driver Arturo Roman and distributed on Oct. 20, showed the Cessna descending low and nose-first alongside an elevated concrete structure. Later images of the scene displayed the cowling crushed and the fuselage resting on its nose. NBC Bay Area, which aired air traffic control audio, reported that one wing appeared to clip a pole before the airplane cartwheeled. The controller’s observation on the frequency after the incident was, “Aircraft seems to have landed north of the field, not on the field… on Capitol Expressway.”
The crashed aircraft, identified as a Cessna 177A with serial number 17701316, featured a Lycoming O-360 four-cylinder engine and was issued a standard airworthiness certificate in December 1968. Its owner is Flying Twenty Inc., a San Jose corporation and nonprofit flying club. The club's registration was renewed in August 2023 and is valid through 2030. San Jose State University confirmed to NBC Bay Area that while some of its students, alumni, and employees are members of Flying Twenty Inc., the university does not operate the club. No individual involved has publicly identified the pilot, nor has the child's age been released by officials.
An engine problem occurring early in a flight, such as during climb-out, leaves pilots with limited altitude and few choices for an emergency landing. The FAA's Airplane Flying Handbook advises pilots losing power in this phase to land roughly straight ahead, making only minimal turns to avoid obstacles. It cautions against attempting to turn back to the runway from a low altitude, as a steep turn at low speed can lead to a stall. Given that the streets surrounding Reid-Hillview Airport are lined with residential properties, neighbors expressed relief that the aircraft landed on the road rather than in a populated area.
Doug Rice, a retired commercial pilot who reviewed video of the crash for NBC Bay Area, attributed the outcome to "the structure of the aircraft and the skill of the pilot." He also noted that the Cessna struck a light standard during its descent. Rice mentioned that a county airport commission had recommended in both 1988 and 1999 against placing large trees or light poles along Capitol Expressway, as it is considered a potential emergency landing strip for pilots. However, these specific recommendations could not be located in the county’s online records, and neither the county nor the investigating agencies have commented on whether the pole influenced the crash's outcome.
This incident is not an isolated event for the area around Reid-Hillview Airport. NTSB records cited by NBC Bay Area include a 2002 incident where a Piper PA-24 ran out of fuel and struck a car during a street landing, and a 2017 crash where a Cessna 172P lost partial power after takeoff from Reid-Hillview, crashing into a garage on Evelyn Avenue and seriously injuring two passengers.
These incidents contribute to an ongoing discussion regarding the future of Reid-Hillview Airport. In November 2020, Santa Clara County supervisors voted 4-1 to proceed with plans for closing the airport and redeveloping its approximately 180 acres. At that time, the county indicated that existing FAA funding commitments prevented its closure before 2031. The airport remains operational, as demonstrated by Saturday's departure.
