North American SNJ-4 incident near Reno, Nevada, September 12, 1985
On September 12, 1985 at about 7:00 pm local time, a North American SNJ-4, registered N86WW, suffered minor damage in an incident near Reno, Nevada (Reno-Stead airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 1985 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Reno-Stead · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American SNJ-4 · all SNJ-4s on the register
- Registration
- N86WW · registry record · serial 6400 414
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A 'SEVERE VIBRATION' AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING DURING A HEAT RACE AT THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AIR RACES. SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT A PROPELLER BLADE PITCH CHANGE BOLT, P/N 53546, HAD FAILED, ALLOWING ONE PROPELLER BLADE TO MOVE INTO A HIGH PITCH BLADE ANGLE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R1340 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 45D
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 7,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.