Found Aircraft Canada FBA-2C2 accident near Reno, Nevada, March 11, 2007
On March 11, 2007 at about 1:09 am local time, a Found Aircraft Canada FBA-2C2, registered N418MS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reno, Nevada (Reno Tahoe Int'L Airport). It was an instructional 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 certified flight instructor's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during landing, which resulted in a groundloop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 11, 2007 · about 1:09 am local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Reno Tahoe Int'L Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Found Aircraft Canada FBA-2C2
- Registration
- N418MS · no longer on the register · serial 101
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor (CFI) lost directional control of the airplane during landing and it groundlooped. The CFI assumed control of the airplane on the approach into the airport. During the landing, the airplane bounced twice and groundlooped. The Federal Aviation Administration accident coordinator examined the airplane's control systems following the accident, and there were no mechanical malfunctions to result in a loss of directional control.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 4,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 297 hours in all; 67 in this make and model; 96 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 100 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 1, 2006; 100 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Textron Lycoming IO-540-L1C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RNO Reno Int'L NV at 10:30 pm
- Destination: RNO Reno NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16L, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N418MS the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.