Amateur-built LANCAIR 235 accident near Winnemucca, Nevada, July 3, 1992
On July 3, 1992 at about 7:30 pm local time, a amateur-built LANCAIR 235, registered N120FR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winnemucca, Nevada (Winnemucca Muni airport). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE LANDING ROLL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 1992 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Winnemucca, Nevada · Winnemucca Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built LANCAIR 235 LANCAIR 23
- Registration
- N120FR · no longer on the register · serial 120
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER TOUCHDOWN AND COULD NOT CORRECT THE SITUATION PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT VEERING OFF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDING WITH A RAISED LIP OF A CONCRETE SLAB.
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
- Flight time: 685 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 609 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 84 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 4, 1991; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-GPU (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 67L Mesquite NV at 5:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 6,008 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from WMC, 1 miles away
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.
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.