Two adults and a child aboard the aircraft were hospitalized with injuries that officials said were not life-threatening.
SAN JOSE, CA — A small propeller plane crashed onto Capitol Expressway in San Jose on Saturday afternoon, injuring two adults and a child aboard the aircraft but striking no vehicles on the ground, according to the San Jose Fire Department.
The crash was reported shortly after 3 p.m. Oct. 17 near Capitol Expressway and Excalibur Drive. Firefighters responding to the scene found the damaged aircraft on the roadway. All three people aboard were taken to a hospital with injuries that fire officials described as non-life-threatening.
The San Jose Fire Department said no vehicles were involved in the crash and no additional injuries were reported on the ground. The aircraft also leaked a small amount of fuel after coming down, but crews absorbed the spill while securing the scene.
Federal Aviation Administration records cited by local news organizations identified the aircraft as a 1968 Cessna 177A Cardinal. The plane is registered to Flying Twenty Inc., a San Jose-based nonprofit flight club associated with San Jose State University students, alumni and faculty.
The aircraft had departed from the nearby Reid-Hillview Airport shortly before the crash, according to flight-tracking information cited by Bay City News. The airport is in eastern San Jose, only a short distance from the area where the plane came down. Authorities had not announced what caused the aircraft to lose altitude or crash onto the roadway.
Images released from the scene showed the airplane resting in the intersection as firefighters worked around the damaged fuselage. Emergency crews spread absorbent material on the pavement around the aircraft to deal with the fuel leak. Officials initially urged motorists to avoid the area while crews handled the wreckage and emergency response.
The identities of the two adults and child aboard the plane had not been publicly released as of Sunday. Officials also had not provided additional information about their conditions beyond saying their injuries were not considered life-threatening.
Investigators had not publicly identified a mechanical problem, pilot action or other factor as the cause of the crash. Early accounts established only that the single-engine aircraft came down shortly after departing the area of Reid-Hillview Airport. Any determination about why the plane crashed will depend on the aviation investigation and examination of the aircraft and available flight information.
The crash drew an emergency response to one of the area’s major roadways but resulted in no reported injuries among drivers or pedestrians. Authorities had not announced a final cause as of Sunday, and further findings from aviation investigators were still pending.
Author note: Last updated October 18, 2026.