Champion 7FC accident near Reno, Nevada, August 25, 2001
On August 25, 2001 at about 5:28 pm local time, a Champion 7FC, registered N9857B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reno, Nevada (Reno/Stead airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 2001 · about 5:28 pm local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Reno/Stead · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 7FC · all 7FCs on the register
- Registration
- N9857B · registry record · serial 183
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft had been converted from a tricycle landing gear configuration to a tail wheel configuration. The accident occurred as the pilot performed a wheel landing and, although the wind was reported calm, he thought there was a gust because the aircraft veered to the left, then reversed to the right, and ground looped. The main landing gear collapsed and the left wing contacted the runway. The pilot reported that on the previous landing the wind sock was "dead calm"; however, during the accident landing the wind sock showed a left crosswind. At the nearest weather reporting point, 11 miles distant, the surface wind speed was reported to have been 3 knots.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,500 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 10,387 as pilot in command; 7,563 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 20, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,147 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 2001; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C-90-12F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4SD Reno NV at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 7,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from RNO, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.