Piper PA 18-135 accident near Gerlach, Nevada, July 21, 1991
On July 21, 1991 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA 18-135, registered N9977Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gerlach, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE TERRAIN CLEARANCE BY THE SELECTION OF AN INAPPROPRIATE CRUISE ALTITUDE RESULTING IN AN IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 1991 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gerlach, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 18-135 · all PA 18-135s on the register
- Registration
- N9977Q · registry record · serial 18-3575
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
IN BOTH HIS WRITTEN AND VERBAL STATEMENTS THE PILOT SAID THAT HE ENCOUNTERED A 'DOWNDRAFT' WHILE FLYING NEAR GERLACH, NEVADA. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE DOWNDRAFT WAS ENCOUNTERED JUST AS THE AIRCRAFT OVERFLEW A SMALL RIDGE AT LOW ALTITUDE AND HE COULD NOT ARREST THE RATE OF DESCENT PRIOR TO COLLIDING WITH THE GROUND IN THE VALLEY BEYOND. IN HIS WRITTEN REPORT OF THE ACCIDENT, THE PILOT SAID THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE CLOSEST WEATHER REPORTING STATION WAS REPORTING WINDS OF LESS THAN FIVE KNOTS. THE PILOT DID NOT INDICATE THAT HIGH WINDS OR OTHER UNUSUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WERE INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT CIRCUMSTANCES.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 775 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 740 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NV18 Reno NV at 4:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N9977Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 LAX91LA321.