Cessna 320 accident near Reno, Nevada, July 8, 1991
On July 8, 1991 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 320, registered N3011T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reno, Nevada (Reno-Cannon 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 FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE PROPELLER FEATHERING COUNTER WEIGHT CLAMP ASSEMBLY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 8, 1991 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Reno-Cannon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320 · all 320s on the register
- Registration
- N3011T · registry record · serial 320C0011
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE APPLIED FULL POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS ACCELERATING THROUGH 30 KNOTS ON THE TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL WHEN HE HEARD A LOUD EXPLOSION. THE PILOT ABORTED THE TAKEOFF AND TAXIED BACK TO THE RAMP. INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT A CLAMP WHICH RETAINS ONE OF THE FEATHERING COUNTER WEIGHTS ON THE LEFT PROPELLER HAD SEPARATED, AND THE COUNTER WEIGHT PENETRATED THROUGH THE NOSE STRUCTURE OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE FAILED CLAMP ASSEMBLY WAS SENT TO THE FACTORY UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE FAA CHICAGO AIRCRAFT CERTIFICATION OFFICE FOR DETAILED ANALYSIS. ACCORDING TO THE REPORT OF THE EXAMINATION, THE FRACTURE WAS FOUND TO BE OF A FATIGUE TYPE, WITH THE ORIGIN ON THE LOWER INSIDE CORNER OF THE STEEL STRAP. CHEMICAL AND HARDNESS TESTS OF THE ASSEMBLY REVEALED THAT THE PART MET SPECIFICATIONS. THE REASON FOR THE FRACTURE INITIATION WAS UNDETERMINED.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 490 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSI0-470 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SMX Santa Maria CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°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.