Piper PA-18-150 accident near Beowawe, Nevada, April 2, 1994
On April 2, 1994 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N8884D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Beowawe, Nevada (Carico Lake Ranch airport). It was an instructional 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 pilot's inadvertent application of the brakes combined with excessive forward control pressure during recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 2, 1994 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Beowawe, Nevada · Carico Lake Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N8884D · registry record · serial L11954-27
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD MADE SEVERAL APPROACHES INTO HIS PRIVATE DIRT STRIP DURING THIS FLIGHT BEFORE THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS ATTEMPTING A WHEEL LANDING ON THE LAST APPROACH WHEN THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED SLIGHTLY. THE PILOT SAID HIS CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS TO APPLY FORWARD CONTROL PRESSURE. HE ALSO BELIEVES HE INADVERTENTLY HIT THE BRAKES AS HE WAS APPLYING THE CONTROL PRESSURE CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO SUDDENLY NOSE OVER.
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: student
- Flight time: 83 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 40 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A23 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,400 ft by 110 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from EKO, 55 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.
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 LAX94LA183.