Siai-Marchetti SF260C accident near North Las Vegas, Nevada, December 3, 1994
On December 3, 1994 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Siai-Marchetti SF260C, registered N58FD, was destroyed in an accident near North Las Vegas, Nevada. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane by inadvertently allowing the flying passenger to enter a stall/spin. Factors in the accident were the passenger's interference with the pilot's attempted recovery from the spin, and the pilot's lack of experience in small general aviation airplanes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 1994 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- North Las Vegas, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Siai-Marchetti SF260C · all SF260Cs on the register
- Registration
- N58FD · no longer on the register · serial 716
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO ENTERTAIN A NON-PILOT MEMBER OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC BY PERMITTING HIM TO FLY HANDS-ON A HIGH PERFORMANCE MILITARY FIGHTER-LIKE LIGHT AIRPLANE DURING A SIMULATED DOG FIGHT. THE OPERATOR HAD EQUIPPED THE AIRPLANE WITH A VIDEO RECORDER FROM WHICH BOTH COCKPIT AUDIO AND VIDEO DATA WAS PRESERVED. THE PASSENGER WAS CALLED A 'GUEST FIGHTER PILOT,' AND HE WAS HANDLING THE FLIGHT CONTROLS DURING A SIMULATED AIR COMBAT MANEUVER INITIATED AROUND 5,500 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL). THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) ISSUED REPEATED VERBAL WARNINGS TO THE PASSENGER TO 'STAY OUT OF THE BUFFET.' HOWEVER, DURING A LEFT CLIMBING TURN THE PASSENGER STALLED THE AIRPLANE AND IT BEGAN SPINNING. AS THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED IN THE SPIN, THE PIC TOLD THE PASSENGER THREE TIMES 'I'VE GOT THE AIRPLANE.' THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED 3,600 TO 3,700-FOOT MSL TERRAIN IN A NOSE LOW AND WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE DURING THE INITIATION OF THE PULLUP RECOVERY. THE PIC WAS AN EX-MILITARY FIGHTER PILOT AND HIS CIVILIAN FLYING EXPERIENCE IN THE AIRPLANE WITH PASSENGERS WAS LIMITED, HAVING ONLY ACQUIRED EMPLOYMENT WITH THE OPERATOR 1.5 MONTHS EARLIER. THE PIC DID NOT HOLD A CFI CERTIFICATE.
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, flight engineer, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,540 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 2,365 as pilot in command; 469 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 4, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 2,430 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: VGT at 8:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.