Piper PA18-160 accident near Reno, Nevada, March 23, 1990
On March 23, 1990 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Piper PA18-160, registered N9977Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reno, Nevada (Reno Stead airport). It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL DURING LANDING ROLL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 1990 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Reno Stead · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA18-160 · all PA18-160s on the register
- Registration
- N9977Q · registry record · serial 18-3575
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LOST CONTROL DURING LANDING ROLL. THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED OFF THE 150 FT. WIDE RUNWAY, ENTERED SOFT TERRAIN AND NOSED OVER.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 686 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 686 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 13, 1989; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 002 Beckwourth CA at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 7,600 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from RNO, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N9977Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA90LA055.