Hawker Sea Fury TMK 20 accident near Reno, Nevada, August 20, 2008
On August 20, 2008 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Hawker Sea Fury TMK 20, registered N51SF, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Reno, Nevada (Reno Stead Airport). It was a flight test 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
A ruptured center balance diaphragm that resulted in a loss of engine power during final approach and subsequent forced landing on a desert floor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 2008 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Reno Stead Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hawker Sea Fury TMK 20 · all Sea Fury TMK 20s on the register
- Registration
- N51SF · no longer on the register · serial ES3613
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After installing a new carburetor on the airplane, a flight check was performed. No discrepancies were noted with the run-up or takeoff; however, on final approach, the engine lost power. The pilot had to maneuver the airplane away from the ILS during the forced landing on the desert floor. The tail section separated at the empennage, as well as propeller and leading edge damage to both wings. An inspection of the carburetor revealed that the center balance diaphragm (part number 366999) had ruptured, which allowed fuel into the air passages and forced the engine to lose power.
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 engine power (total) during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel control/carburetor › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 30,092 hours in all; 177 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 27,663 as pilot in command; 2,270 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 14, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,247 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 1, 2007; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Wright 3350-26WD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Cavanaugh Air Museum, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: 4SD Reno NV at 8:10 pm
- Destination: 4SD Reno NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from RNO, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX08LA271.