Cessna 172P accident near Reno, Nevada, October 1, 2005
On October 1, 2005, a Cessna 172P, registered N5394K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reno, Nevada (Reno/Tahoe International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane while taxiing in gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 2005
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Reno/Tahoe International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N5394K · no longer on the register · serial 172-74093
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot lost control of the airplane while taxiing out to the departure runway, which resulted in the right wing impacting a perimeter fence. According to the pilot, he accidentally taxied down a vehicle access road instead of the taxiway he was cleared for. While he was taxiing down the road, the airplane encountered a "severe wind gust," which picked up the airplane and moved it 90 degrees to the right. The airplane came to rest on the top of a fuel farm perimeter fence. The pilot indicated that he had input crosswind controls during taxi.
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: 651 hours in all; 550 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,328.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2005; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D25 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RNO Reno NV at 5:40 pm
- Destination: Reno NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16L, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from RNO
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.
Other NTSB records under N5394K 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.