Reno Stead Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Reno, Nevada 89506
Sunday, September 19, 2010 16:00 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that he was flying as one of a group of seven airplanes in an air race, and, during lap four, the engine lost all power. The pilot increased altitude to 2,000 feet above ground level and entered the landing pattern but had to extend his downwind to avoid traffic still on the race course. The wind took him further away from the runway than he intended so that when he turned toward the runway, he could not complete the turn to the runway heading, and intercepted the runway on a 50-degree angle at an intersection with another runway. The airplane rolled across the intersection, onto a taxiway, and continued onto a dirt ramp before cartwheeling and coming to rest in the dirt about halfway between the taxiway and the runway. Postaccident examination of the engine found that a connecting rod bearing and two connecting rods in the engine fractured and separated, which resulted in the loss of engine power.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Failure of a connecting rod bearing and two connecting rods, which resulted in a loss of engine power while maneuvering at low altitude.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/19/2010
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1600
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Reno
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89506
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 9
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 394005N
Event Location Longitude 1195235W
Event Location Airport Reno Stead
Event Location Nearest Airport ID RTS
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 5050
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1355 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 170
Weather Observation Facility ID KRNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 4415
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 8
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 18000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 11000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 19
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.91
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 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30344
NTSB Notification Source Reno FSDO
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 24 2012 4:06PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N151G
NTSB Number WPR10LA468
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Giboney
Aircraft Model Thunder Mustang
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number FITM024
Certified Max Gross Weight 3700
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 21 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 12
Airframe Hours 346
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name George A Giboney Jr
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Des Moines
Aircraft Owner State WA
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 98198
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name George A Giboney Jr
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Des Moines
Operator State WA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 98198
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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) Air Race/Show
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code RTS
Departure City Reno
Departure State NV
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1545
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code RTS
Destination City Reno
Destination State NV
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 24 2012 4:07PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length 9000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --