Two plane crashes tied to Reid-Hillview Airport in mid-October have East San Jose residents and local officials pushing again to close the county-owned airfield, San José Spotlight reported.

The two crashes

  • Oct. 16: a crash at the airport caused by a landing equipment issue, according to San José Spotlight.
  • Oct. 17: a Cessna 177 that had taken off from Reid-Hillview crashed near Capitol Expressway and Excalibur Drive around 3:10 p.m. The FAA told KTVU that the pilot reported "engine issues" just before the crash. Two adults and a child were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

San Jose State said the Oct. 17 plane was owned and operated by Flying20, an independent flying club that includes some SJSU alumni, employees and students but is not run by the university. County Supervisor Betty Duong said the NTSB and FAA are investigating that crash, and the county has not received findings from either agency.

What residents want

Community group SOMOS Mayfair held a news conference Friday, Oct. 23, at Hillview Park. The Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors voted in 2020 to begin planning the airport's closure. However, federal obligations mean 2031 is the earliest possible closure date.

"Our families are still waiting for an answer about what happens between now and then," said SOMOS Mayfair organizer Dilza Gonzalez. Alum Rock Union School District trustee Corina Herrera-Loera put it this way: "2031 is a deadline for closure, not the deadline for protecting our children and families." Maria Reyes, who has lived about a block and a half from the airport for 55 years, raised concerns about noise and lead exposure. The county restricted leaded aviation fuel at its airports in 2021.

What the county is doing

Duong said county officials are finalizing bids to hire a vendor. That vendor would estimate costs and identify barriers and opportunities for projects in the 2020 Reid-Hillview Vision Plan. Her predecessor, Cindy Chavez, earmarked about $300,000 for that work. The airport covers about 179 acres.

Earlier coverage: three survive Cessna crash on Capitol Expressway.