Reno-Stead Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Reno, Nevada 89506
Thursday, April 27, 2006 19:30 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The airplane veered off the runway during landing and nosed over after encountering soft sand. The pilot had recently purchased the airplane, and this was his third instructional flight. The main purpose of this flight was to work on directional control of the airplane. The pilot and his flight instructor departed on runway 08, with a crosswind from 160 degrees at 3 to 4 miles per hour (mph), for work in the traffic pattern. During the second landing, the pilot landed to the left of the centerline. As the tail wheel settled onto the runway, the airplane veered to the left. He increased the throttle, and applied right rudder. The airplane did not seem to respond, so he applied the brakes. It veered hard to the left and went off the runway into soft sand and sagebrush and nosed over.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain directional control. A contributing factor was the certified flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/27/2006
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Reno
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89506
Event Date Year 2006
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 394002N
Event Location Longitude 1195234W
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 --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1856 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 135
Weather Observation Facility ID RNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 4415
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 12
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
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) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.1
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 2
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 20192
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Apr 27 2006 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Aug 29 2006 3:49PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Federal Aviation Admnistration Reno FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N778T
NTSB Number LAX06CA149
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name M.C. Thomas
Aircraft Model Thorpe T-18
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1124
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? Yes
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Scott E. Monsen
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Reno
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
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 --
Operator State --
Operator Country --
Operator Zip code --
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 4SD
Departure City Reno
Departure State --
Departure Country --
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 31 2006 4:36PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 8
Runway Length 7608
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --