Reno/Stead Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Reno, Nevada 89502
Sunday, September 18, 1994 10:10 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

TWO AIRPLANE'S COLLIDED WHILE PARTICIPATING IN AN AIR RACE NEAR THE AIRPORT. ONE AIRPLANE'S (REFERRED TO AS #1) LEFT WING AND EMPENNAGE SEPARATED IN FLIGHT AND CRASHED INTO A RESIDENCE; THE OTHER AIRPLANE (REFERRED TO AS #2) LANDED AT THE AIRPORT WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENCE. THE POSTACCIDENT WRECKAGE EXAMINATION AND VIDEO TAPES OF THE OCCURRENCE SHOWED THAT AIRPLANE #1 OVERTOOK AND STRUCK AIRPLANE #2'S RIGHT WING FROM BELOW. AIRPLANE #1 PITCHED UP, THE EMPENNAGE SEPARATED, AND THE LEFT WING FOLDED. AIRPLANE #1 BEGAN TO CARTWHEEL AND SPIN UNTIL IT CRASHED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

that the pilot misjudged the distance between his and the other airplane. The pilot's diverted attention to the start of the air race is a factor in this accident.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/18/1994
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1010
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City RENO
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89502
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport RENO/STEAD
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 4SD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 2
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation 5046
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 951 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID 4SD
Elevation of weather observation facility 5046
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1549
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 18 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1025
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:16PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft #2

Aircraft Registration Number N8540Z N7404C
NTSB Number LAX94LA368A LAX94LA368B
Missing Aircraft Indicator N N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None None
Flight plan Was Activated? -- --
Damage Destroyed Substantial
Aircraft Fire None None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name NORTH AMERICAN NORTH AMERICAN
Aircraft Model SNJ-5 SNJ-4
Aircraft Series Identifier SNJ-5 SNJ-4
Aircraft Serial Number 88-13585-1 88-14124
Certified Max Gross Weight 5300 5300
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No No
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 2 2
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 8 1993 12:00AM Aug 11 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 31 5
Airframe Hours 2541 3470
ELT Installed No Yes
ELT Activated Unknown No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown Unknown
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name WW II WARBIRDS, INC. MCDONALD, JERRY D.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10 CENTRE DRIVE P.O. BOX 666
Aircraft Owner City ORCHARD PARK TRANQUILITY
Aircraft Owner State NY CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 14127 93668
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name SAME AS REGISTERED OWNER SAME AS REGISTERED OWNER
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address SAME AS REGISTERED OWNER
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown 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) Unknown Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes Yes
Departure Airport Code 4SD 4SD
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000 1000
Departure Time Zone PDT PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 4SD 4SD
Destination City
Destination State NV NV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0 0
Runway Length -- --
Runway Width -- --
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --