Amateur-built Thorpe T-18 accident near Reno, Nevada, April 28, 2006
On April 28, 2006 at about 2:30 am local time, a amateur-built Thorpe T-18, registered N778T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reno, Nevada (Reno-Stead airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain directional control. A contributing factor was the certified flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 2006 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Reno-Stead · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Thorpe T-18
- Registration
- N778T · no longer on the register · serial 1124
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane veered off the runway during landing and nosed over after encountering soft sand. The pilot had recently purchased the airplane, and this was his third instructional flight. The main purpose of this flight was to work on directional control of the airplane. The pilot and his flight instructor departed on runway 08, with a crosswind from 160 degrees at 3 to 4 miles per hour (mph), for work in the traffic pattern. During the second landing, the pilot landed to the left of the centerline. As the tail wheel settled onto the runway, the airplane veered to the left. He increased the throttle, and applied right rudder. The airplane did not seem to respond, so he applied the brakes. It veered hard to the left and went off the runway into soft sand and sagebrush and nosed over.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,600 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 463 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-380-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4SD Reno
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 7,608 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 1:56 am from RNO, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.