Amateur-built MIG 15UTI accident near Fallon, Nevada, November 6, 1996
On November 6, 1996 at about 8:40 pm local time, a amateur-built MIG 15UTI, registered N271JM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fallon, Nevada (Fallon Municipal airport). It was a positioning 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 misjudged his altitude and airspeed. A related factor was his diverted attention.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 6, 1996 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Fallon, Nevada · Fallon Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built MIG 15UTI
- Registration
- N271JM · registry record · serial IA242271
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane touched down hard in a soft dirt field, 200 feet short of the threshold, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The pilot said that during the precautionary landing to purchase fuel, he was distracted looking for another airplane in the traffic pattern and he also had some difficulty operating a hand-held radio.
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
- Flight time: 25,000 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,845 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 21, 1996; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,415 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Klimov RD-450 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PGA Page AZ at 6:45 pm
- Destination: 4SD Reno NV
- Runway 3, 5,703 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from NFL, 5 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.