Amateur-built 01 accident near Reno, Nevada, September 14, 1993
On September 14, 1993 at about 5:55 pm local time, a amateur-built 01, registered N115R, was destroyed in an accident near Reno, Nevada (Reno Stead airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO AN UNDETERMINED ENCOUNTER WITH AN UNFAVORABLE WIND/AIR CONDITION IN THE FORM OF A DUST DEVIL, WINDSHEAR, OR WAKE TURBULENCE FROM A PREVIOUS LAP. A RELATED FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE LOW ALTITUDE AT THE TIME OF THE ENCOUNTER, WHICH LIMITED THE TIME AVAILABLE FOR THE PILOT TO CORRECT THE LOSS OF CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 1993 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Reno Stead · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 01
- Registration
- N115R · no longer on the register · serial 1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS FLYING HIS HOMEBUILT EXPERIMENTAL BIPLANE ON THE SMALL (3 MILE) RACE COURSE AT THE RENO NATIONAL AIR RACES. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT AFTER MAKING SEVERAL LAPS AT A HIGHER ALTITUDE, A DESCENT WAS MADE TO THE SAME ALTITUDE THAT PREVIOUS PILOTS HAD USE TO QUALIFY. THE AIRPLANE HAD 'ROUNDED' THE PYLONS & WAS FLYING DOWN THE EAST STRAIGHTAWAY, WHEN WITNESSES 'OBSERVED A SLIGHT ROLL, A ROLL CORRECTION AND IMMEDIATE PITCH DOWN . . .' ANOTHER WITNESS SAID 'PILOT WAGGLED WINGS AND PORPOISED TWICE, SECOND PORPOISE INTO GROUND.' THE PILOT SAID HE WAS FLYING WINGS LEVEL, FROM AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 50 FEET, WHEN THERE WAS A SLIGHT LEFT WING DROP FOLLOWED BY A SEVERE PITCH DOWN. HE CORRECTED BY LEVELING THE WINGS & 'LOCKING' THE STICK IN A PITCH UP POSITION, BUT REPORTEDLY, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE GROUND TAIL FIRST. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE MAY HAVE ENCOUNTERED SEVERE WINDSHEAR OR A WHIRLWIND. WAKE TURBULENCE FROM A PREVIOUS LAP WAS NEITHER RULED OUT NOR VERIFIED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 142 in this make and model; 86 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 5,410 as pilot in command; 2,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 146 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 6, 1993; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4SD at 5:40 pm
- Destination: 4SD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:41 pm from 4SD, 1 miles away
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.