N53893

On February 15, 2001, about 1117 hours Pacific standard time, a Bellanca 7ECA, N53893, veered off the runway and collided with an obstacle during landing rollout at the Reid-Hillview of Santa Clara County Airport, San Jose, California. The airplane was operated by Amelia Reid Aviation, San Jose, and it was substantially damaged. The private pilot was not injured. The personal flight was performed under 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the local area flight that originated from the airport about 1100.

The pilot indicated that he intended to practice takeoffs and landings in the airport's traffic pattern. No problems with the airplane were noted during the taxi out, takeoff, or final approach. He did observe a left crosswind and entered a slip to compensate for the airplane's drift. However, during the landing rollout the conventional gear airplane veered off runway 31R. Despite his best efforts, he was unable to redirect the airplane back onto the runway. As it decelerated off the runway, it impacted the airport's wind-measuring instrument (anemometer). The pilot did not report experiencing any mechanical malfunction with the airplane's brakes or flight control system.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, at 1117, the wind at the airport was from 230 degrees at 7 knots.