Smith MINIPLANE accident near Winnemucca, Nevada, July 24, 2003
On July 24, 2003 at about 3:40 am local time, a Smith MINIPLANE, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N721SC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winnemucca, Nevada (Winnemucca airport). 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 refuel the airplane prior to fuel exhaustion, which resulted in a loss of engine power during cruise flight, and subsequent in-flight collision with terrain. A factor associated with the accident is the night light conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 2003 · about 3:40 am local time
- Place
- Winnemucca, Nevada · Winnemucca · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith MINIPLANE, amateur-built · all MINIPLANEs on the register
- Registration
- N721SC · no longer on the register · serial 1969
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot reported he was flying his experimental homebuilt airplane on a multi-leg cross country flight. He stated he became disoriented, and eventually ran out of fuel. During the subsequent night emergency landing, he placed the airplane in a steep, nose down attitude, and pulled up too late, colliding with terrain and sustaining structural damage to the airplane.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 237 hours in all; 82 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 179 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 13, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 433.2 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 16, 2003; 8.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Owyhee NV
- Destination: WMC Winnemucca NV
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 250° at 16 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 am from WMC, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.