Reno/Stead Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Reno, Nevada 89506
Saturday, March 6, 2004 12:00 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane experienced a hard landing. The pilot configured the airplane with a high angle of attack and was flying at a slow airspeed. While over the runway designation markings, the stall warning light flashed. About 50 to 60 feet above ground level, the airplane stalled, and the nose gear contacted the runway surface, with the main landing gear following immediately thereafter. The airplane was about 10 to 15 degrees in a nose down attitude when it contacted the runway. The nose wheel broke off immediately after contact, and the airplane skid on its nose a short distance down the runway. The damage to the airplane was consistent to that of a hard landing. After inspecting the landing gear, investigators found no evidence of abnormalities or mechanical malfunctions.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's premature flare and failure to maintain adequate airspeed resulted in an inadvertent stall and a hard landing, which collapsed the landing gear.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/6/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City Reno
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89506
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 394002N
Event Location Longitude 1195234W
Event Location Airport Reno/Stead Airport
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 5050
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1156 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 334
Weather Observation Facility ID RNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 4415
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 11
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 15000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.38
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 15558
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Mar 6 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1230
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 3 2004 1:28PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office WP-RNO-FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6367J
NTSB Number LAX04LA151
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model PA-28-180
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 28-4779
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 4 2003 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 6071
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Diana Croyle
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Sparks
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89436
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Sparks
Operator State NV
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 89436
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 No
Departure Airport Code O43
Departure City Yerington
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1120
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 4SD
Destination City Reno
Destination State NV
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - flare/touchdown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Mar 26 2004 1:49PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 26
Runway Length 7608
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --