Beech D17S accident near Reno, Nevada, September 17, 1992
On September 17, 1992 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Beech D17S, registered N9465H, 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; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOTS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING ROLLOUT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A VARIABLE TAILWIND CONDITION AND THE SOFT, ROUGH NATURE OF THE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 1992 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Reno Cannon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D17S · all D17Ss on the register
- Registration
- N9465H · no longer on the register · serial 6898
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS HIRED TO FERRY THE AIRCRAFT TO AN AIRCRAFT AUCTION IN RENO. ONE FLIGHT ATTEMPT WAS ABORTED DUE TO A BAD LEFT BRAKE AND ATTEMPTS TO REPAIR THE BRAKE WERE UNSUCCESFUL. THE NEXT DAY, PARTS HAD BEEN LOCATED AND THE BRAKE HAD AGAIN BEEN REPAIRED. THE BRAKES TESTED SATISFACTORILY BY THE PILOT AND THE TRIP WAS MADE. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE LANDING WAS VERY SMOOTH AN ALMOST THREE POINT ATTITUDE ON THE CENTERLINE. HE SAID THE TAILWHEEL TOUCHED DOWN IMMEDIATLY AFTER THE MAIN GEAR AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO VEER SHARPLY TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT NOTED THAT FULL LEFT RUDDER AND BRAKE WERE APPLIED, BUT THE RUDDER WAS INEFFECTIVE AT IDLE POWER AND SLOW SPEED, AND, WITHOUT A LEFT BRAKE IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO EFFECT ANY CHANGE OF DIRECTION. THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER IN SOFT SOIL AFTER LEAVING THE RUNWAY. WINDS AT THE TIME WAS REPORTED 130 DEGREES AT 6 KNOTS. IN FAA TOWER PERSONNEL STATEMENTS, THREE CONTROLLERS SAID THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED ON LANDING AND ONE CONTROLLER SAID THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED BACK AND FORTH ALL PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT EXITING THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT. THE PASSENGER WAS INTERVIEWED AND HE STATED THE LANDING APPEARED NORMAL TO HIM. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE RUNWAY SAFETY AREA A VISUAL AND STATIC TEST OF THE BRAKE PEDALS WAS PERFORMED SATISFACTORILY.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon
- Flight time: 26,700 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 18,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 7, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 4,250 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985-E-3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EMT El Monte CA at 4:48 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 10,002 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:12 pm from RNO, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N9465H the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.