Schurz Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Schurz, Nevada 89427
Thursday, June 30, 1994 14:25 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The passenger seated in the right front seat holds an airline transport pilot certificate and is an airline pilot. The witness reported that he did not observe a windsock on the airstrip and they had to gauge the wind conditions before takeoff by looking at the trees around the airport. He estimated that the winds were from 310 degrees at 10 knots with higher gusts to over 20 knots. Both he and the pilot stated in separate interviews that the takeoff was normal until the aircraft achieved about 100 feet agl. At that point, the aircraft encountered a 'very turbulent boundary layer' and the airspeed indicator 'instantaneously went from 80 to 30 knots and the stall horn came on continuously.' Both of the pilots stated that they could not recover the airspeed and the aircraft descended to impact with a telephone pole and wire at the north airport boundary.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's inability to maintain an adequate airspeed in the takeoff initial climb due to an encounter with a windshear.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/30/1994
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1425
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City SCHURZ
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89427
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SCHURZ
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 3Q1
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 4203
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 20
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 7000
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 3
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 670
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 30 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1510
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N733AA
NTSB Number LAX94LA269
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17268135
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 5 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 5580
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LISA A. SCHILLING
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 21552
Aircraft Owner City RENO
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89515
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name NEVADA CAL AERO
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 21552
Operator City RENO
Operator State NV
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 89515
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 3Q1
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1425
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code RNO
Destination City RENO
Destination State NV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 34
Runway Length 3200
Runway Width 45
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --