Yakovlev YAK 11 accident near Reno, Nevada, September 11, 1989
On September 11, 1989 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Yakovlev YAK 11, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N134JK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reno, Nevada (Stead Fld airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR DID NOT FULLY EXTEND FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON. FACTORS THAT CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: AN ENGINE POWER LOSS FOR UNKNOWN REASONS AND THE ROUGH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 1989 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Stead Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Yakovlev YAK 11, amateur-built
- Registration
- N134JK · no longer on the register · serial 171521
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF, THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE CYLINDER HEAD TEMPERATURE AND THE OIL TEMPERATURE WERE NEAR REDLINE. THE PILOT REDUCED POWER AND NOTED THAT THE MANIFOLD PRESSURE WAS BELOW NORMAL. THE PILOT TURNED BACK TO THE RUNWAY AND WAS ABLE TO EXTEND THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND THE TAIL WHEEL ONLY. THE AIRPLANE LANDED ON THE RUNWAY WITH POWER AT IDLE. THE AIRPLANE SLIDE OFF THE RUNWAY AND BROKE APART AS IT SLID TO A STOP ON THE ROUGH TERRAIN. THE AIRPLANE WAS TO PARTICIPATE IN AN AIR RACE AND WAS TEST RUNNING THE ENGINE PRIOR TO THE START. THE ENGINE HAD BEEN MODIFIED FOR THE PURPOSE OF AIR RACING.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,800 hours in all; 45 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 9,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Wright R3350-36W (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.