P Z L -Warszawa-Cnpsl PZL 104 WILGA accident near Austin, Nevada, August 21, 2016
On August 21, 2016 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1983 P Z L -Warszawa-Cnpsl PZL 104 WILGA, registered N65ZA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Austin, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain an appropriate descent rate during the base to final turn, which resulted in a forced landing, and an intentional aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's excessive braking, which resulted in a nose over and substantial damage to the empennage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 2016 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Austin, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- P Z L -Warszawa-Cnpsl PZL 104 WILGA 35A, built 1983 · all PZL 104 WILGAs on the register
- Registration
- N65ZA · no longer on the register · serial 18830758
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was landing atop a backcountry mountain ridge at an elevation of 10,250 feet. The airplane was configured with full flaps and on left base to final turn and the wing blocked his view of the ridge. The pilot reported that in the turn to final he had descended "a couple hundred feet lower" than he should have and when the ridge came into view, he realized he was too low, the airplane would not be able to climb over the ridge, and that he was forced to continue the landing. The pilot further reported that he intentionally aerodynamically stalled the airplane before landing, which resulted in the tail wheel impacting the ground first, then the main landing gear. According to the pilot, to keep the airplane from falling off the edge of the cliff, he "locked up" the brakes, which resulted in a nose over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of visual reference during approach (VFR pattern base)
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during landing
- Miscellaneous/other during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Capability exceeded
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Mountainous/hilly terrain › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Situational awareness › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,925 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,925 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 3, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,644 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 12, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 3,060 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Vedeneyev M-14P (piston); 941 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TMT Austin NV at 2:30 pm
- Destination: Austin NV
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from KP68, 56 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 5, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Photo (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N65ZA the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.