Piper PA 28-180 accident near Reno, Nevada, August 3, 1991
On August 3, 1991 at about 3:33 am local time, a Piper PA 28-180, registered N5277L, was destroyed in an accident near Reno, Nevada (Reno airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIRSPEED BY EMPLOYING AN EXCESSIVE ANGLE OF ATTACK DURING THE TAKEOFF CLIMB DURING A GO-AROUND RESULTING IN AN AERODYNAMIC STALL AND SUBSEQUENT INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S POOR APPROACH PLANNING, COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND A HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 1991 · about 3:33 am local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Reno · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28-180 · all PA 28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5277L · registry record · serial 28-4576
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA 28-180 COLLIDED WITH PORTABLE BUILDINGS ON THE AIRPORT AFTER AN IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL. THE PILOT REPORTED HAVING PROBLEMS RECEIVING RADIO TRANSMISSIONS. THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER CLEARED THE PILOT TO LAND ON THE RWY MOST INTO THE WIND. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED PAST THE ACTIVE RWY AND APPROACHED A PERPENDICULAR RWY RESULTING IN A QUARTERING TAILWIND. THE AIRPLANE OVERSHOT THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE OF THE PERPENDICULAR RWY AND INITIATED A GO-AROUND. DURING THE GO-AROUND WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE NOT GAINING ALTITUDE AND AT A SLOW AIRSPEED. THE WITNESSES ALSO INDICATED THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE APPEARED NORMAL. THE AIRPLANE THEN TURNED RIGHT, INTO A QUARTERING HEADWIND, STALLED, AND DESCENDED VERTICALLY TO THE GROUND. THE WIND VELOCITY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 13 KTS. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED TO BE ABOUT 7,500 FEET MSL. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK FOR THE PIPER PA 28-180, THE AIRPLANE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF A 375 FOOT PER MINUTE RATE OF CLIMB.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 450 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 369 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 251 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, February 1, 1991; 4,695 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: OAK Oakland CA at 1:52 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 am from RNO, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.