Reno Stead Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Reno, Nevada 89506
Tuesady, September 14, 1993 10:55 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT WAS FLYING HIS HOMEBUILT EXPERIMENTAL BIPLANE ON THE SMALL (3 MILE) RACE COURSE AT THE RENO NATIONAL AIR RACES. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT AFTER MAKING SEVERAL LAPS AT A HIGHER ALTITUDE, A DESCENT WAS MADE TO THE SAME ALTITUDE THAT PREVIOUS PILOTS HAD USE TO QUALIFY. THE AIRPLANE HAD 'ROUNDED' THE PYLONS & WAS FLYING DOWN THE EAST STRAIGHTAWAY, WHEN WITNESSES 'OBSERVED A SLIGHT ROLL, A ROLL CORRECTION AND IMMEDIATE PITCH DOWN . . .' ANOTHER WITNESS SAID 'PILOT WAGGLED WINGS AND PORPOISED TWICE, SECOND PORPOISE INTO GROUND.' THE PILOT SAID HE WAS FLYING WINGS LEVEL, FROM AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET, WHEN THERE WAS A SLIGHT LEFT WING DROP FOLLOWED BY A SEVERE PITCH DOWN. HE CORRECTED BY LEVELING THE WINGS & 'LOCKING' THE STICK IN A PITCH UP POSITION, BUT REPORTEDLY, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND TAIL FIRST. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE MAY HAVE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE WINDSHEAR OR A WHIRLWIND. WAKE TURBULENCE FROM A PREVIOUS LAP WAS NEITHER RULED OUT NOR VERIFIED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO AN UNDETERMINED ENCOUNTER WITH AN UNFAVORABLE WIND/AIR CONDITION IN THE FORM OF A DUST DEVIL, WINDSHEAR, OR WAKE TURBULENCE FROM A PREVIOUS LAP. A RELATED FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE LOW ALTITUDE AT THE TIME OF THE ENCOUNTER, WHICH LIMITED THE TIME AVAILABLE FOR THE PILOT TO CORRECT THE LOSS OF CONTROL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/14/1993
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1055
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City RENO
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89506
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
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 On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5046
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1041 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 180
Weather Observation Facility ID 4SD
Elevation of weather observation facility 5046
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 20
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6600
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 --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1442
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 14 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1146
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:39PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N115R
NTSB Number LAX93LA351
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 R&K SPECIAL
Aircraft Model 01
Aircraft Series Identifier 01
Aircraft Serial Number 1
Certified Max Gross Weight 1000
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Sep 6 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 1
Airframe Hours 146
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERT L. HUGO
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10011 173RD AVE. S.W.
Aircraft Owner City ROCHESTER
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98579
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ROBERT L. HUGO
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 10011 173RD AVE. S.W.
Operator City ROCHESTER
Operator State WA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 98579
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 4SD
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1040
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code 4SD
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --