Carson Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carson City, Nevada 89701
Saturday, March 19, 1988 10:15 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

UPON ARRIVAL AT THE CARSON ARPT, N6389 (PITTS S-1C) CIRCLED OVERHEAD & THEN DESCENDED TO TRAFFIC PATTERN ALTITUDE WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG TO RUNWAY 27. THE PILOT BROADCAST VIA VHF HIS LOCATION AND INTENTION ON BASE AND FINAL. WHILE ESTABLISHED ON FINAL AND APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET FROM THE THRESHOLD TO RUNWAY 27, AND AT AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET AGL, N6389 COLLIDED WITH N3545 (NIEUPORT). IMPACT MARKS INDICATED THAT N6389 STRUCK THE UPPER LEFT WING OF N3545 WITH ITS WHEELS. THE LOWER RIGHT WING OF N6389 THEN DISINTEGRATED AS IT PASSED THROUGH THE PROPELLER ARC OF N3545. NEITHER PILOT REPORTED SEEING THE OTHER AIRCRAFT AND BOTH AIRCRAFT CRASHED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. NEITHER AIRCRAFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH ANY POSITION, ANTICOLLISION OR STROBE LIGHTS. ALTHOUGH BOTH AIRCRAFT WERE BIPLANES (EQUIPPED WITH UPPER AND LOWER WINGS) IT COULD NOT BE DETERMINED WHETHER THIS DESIGN HAD ANY BEARING IN OBSTRUCTING EITHER PILOT'S VIEW OF THE OTHER AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/19/1988
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1015
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City CARSON CITY
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89701
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator Yes
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CARSON AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID O04
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 4697
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 None
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) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 249
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 19 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1058
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35982
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 11:38AM
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 N6389 N3545
NTSB Number SEA88FA060A SEA88FA060B
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 Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground None
Aircraft Explosion None None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PITTS KITCHEN
Aircraft Model S-1C NEIUPORT 24 BIS
Aircraft Series Identifier S-1C NEIUPORT 2
Aircraft Serial Number RDG1 113
Certified Max Gross Weight 1450 1397
Aircraft Category Airplane Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes Yes
Flight Crew Seats -- --
Cabin Crew Seats -- --
Passenger Seats -- --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 1 1
Number of Engines 1 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jul 5 1987 12:00AM Oct 3 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection -- 6
Airframe Hours -- 166
ELT Installed No No
ELT Activated No No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No No
ELT Type -- --
Aircraft Owner Name FRED L. MICHEL RONALD J. KITCHEN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3215 NORMAN DRIVE 5350 FRANKTOWN ROAD
Aircraft Owner City RENO WASHOE VALLEY
Aircraft Owner State NV NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89509 89702
Operator is an individual? -- --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As -- --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes Yes
Operator Street Address
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) Personal Personal
Second Pilot on Board No No
Departure Point Same as Event No Yes
Departure Airport Code 4SD O04
Departure City RENO CARSON CITY
Departure State NV NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 950 955
Departure Time Zone PST PST
Destination Same as Local Flt -- dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code O04
Destination City CARSON CITY
Destination State NV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach Approach
Report sent to ICAO? -- --
Evacuation occurred -- --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo dbo
Since inspection or accident -- --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27 27
Runway Length 5900 5900
Runway Width 75 75
Sight Seeing flight No No
Air Medical Flight No No
Medical Flight -- --