LAX95LA122

Factual narrative

On February 26, 1995, at 1358 Pacific standard time, a Bellanca 7ECA, N53893, veered off the runway and nosed over after encountering soft soil at the Reid-Hillview Airport, San Jose, California. The aircraft was operated by Amelia Reid Aviation of San Jose, California, and was rented by the student pilot for a local area solo instructional flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the operation. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight originated from the Reid-Hillview Airport on the day of the accident at 1325 hours. In a verbal statement, the student said he was high and fast on the approach and touched down about 2/3 of the way down the runway. The student realized there was insufficient runway to stop the aircraft and added power to abort the landing. The aircraft veered off the left side of the runway and nosed over after encountering a muddy area on the airport. According to the student's flight instructor, he was endorsed for solo flights in the Bellanca 7ECA, on January 19, 1995, and had accumulated about 8 hours of solo flight time. THE STUDENT SAID HE WAS HIGH AND FAST ON THE APPROACH AND TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 2/3 OF THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE STUDENT REALIZED THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT AND ADDED POWER TO ABORT THE LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER AFTER ENCOUNTERING A MUDDY AREA ON THE AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT'S FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, HE WAS ENDORSED FOR SOLO FLIGHTS IN THE BELLANCA 7ECA, ON JANUARY 19, 1995, AND HAD ACCUMULATED ABOUT 8 HOURS OF SOLO FLIGHT TIME. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12