It was a little after three on Saturday afternoon in East San Jose when a small propeller plane came down nose-first onto the roadway near Capitol Expressway and Excalibur Drive. The aircraft crumpled. Somehow, all three people inside survived: two adults and a child.
The plane missed every car on the road. No one on the ground was hurt. All three occupants were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, and on Sunday the FAA said the pilot had reported engine trouble just before the crash.
Datos rápidos
- Cuando: Saturday 17 October 2026, about 3:10 p.m. local time
- Dónde: Near Capitol Expressway and Excalibur Drive, San Jose, California, close to Reid-Hillview Airport
- Aeronave: 1968 Cessna 177A Cardinal (per FAA records cited by ABC7)
- Operador: Registered to Flying Twenty Inc., a San Jose State University flying club
- A bordo: Two adults and one child
- Lesiones: Non-life-threatening; no one hurt on the ground
- FAA: Pilot reported engine issues before the crash; cause under investigation
A Flying Club Cardinal
FAA records cited by ABC7 show the aircraft was a 1968 Cessna 177A Cardinal registered to Flying Twenty Inc., a nonprofit flying club for San Jose State University students, alumni and faculty. The club flies from Reid-Hillview Airport, a busy general aviation field surrounded on all sides by houses, shops and roads.
The Cardinal was Cessna's 1968 attempt at a more modern four-seater: a high-wing single-engine aircraft with a cantilever wing and no wing struts, built until 1978. It is popular with clubs and owners for its big doors and good visibility.
Engine Trouble, Then the Road
KTVU reported that the FAA said on Sunday the pilot had reported "engine issues" shortly before the aircraft went down. The agency has not said more, and the cause is still under investigation. Police said drugs and alcohol did not appear to be factors.
The crash caused a minor fuel spill, which fire crews quickly absorbed. The Alum Rock Avenue offramp from Highway 680 was briefly closed, and it took about three hours to clear the wreckage, the Los Angeles Times reported.
ABC7 News Bay Area with new video showing the moment the plane came down onto the San Jose expressway.
What Pilots Learn From This
An engine problem shortly after take-off or on approach leaves a pilot only seconds to choose a landing spot, and in a city there are few good choices. Pilots are trained to fly the aircraft first and to aim for the most open area they can reach. A road with gaps in the traffic can be better than rooftops.
Investigators will now look at the engine, the fuel and the flight's final minutes. For the three people on board, the most important part is already settled. They walked away from a crash that, by every picture of the wreckage, they had no business surviving.
Sources: KTVU, ABC7 News Bay Area, Los Angeles Times (via The Spokesman-Review), NBC Bay Area
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