Piper PA-28 accident near Carson City, Nevada, October 12, 1998
On October 12, 1998 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28, registered N5078W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carson City, Nevada (Carson City 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 pilot's failure to verify the wind direction and speed, his selection of the wrong runway for the existing wind conditions, and, his inadequate compensation for those wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 12, 1998 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Carson City, Nevada · Carson City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28 · all PA-28s on the register
- Registration
- N5078W · no longer on the register · serial 28-87
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot departed El Monte, California, to attend a convention in Reno, Nevada, but planned to park the aircraft in Carson City, Nevada. After an intermediate stop in Bishop, California, the flight arrived at Carson City. The pilot said UNICOM informed him that the winds were calm, and he elected to land on runway 27. He stated that he did not look at the windsock while in the pattern. The pilot stated he experienced some turbulence and crosswind on landing. The right main landing gear collapsed and separated from the aircraft. After departing the runway and crossing a drainage ditch, the airplane came to rest. A witness working in his office at the airport noticed the airplane in the traffic pattern and observed that the airplane would be landing with a quartering tailwind. He stated that local pilots are aware of a hill northeast of the airport that can disturb the air on the approach to this runway when the wind is from that direction.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,155 hours in all; 40 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,155 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,565 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 12, 1998; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BIH Bishop CA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: CXP
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 5,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from RNO, 19 miles away
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.