Amateur-built OGG GLASAIR I accident near Reno, Nevada, September 17, 2016
On September 17, 2016 at about 6:25 pm local time, a 1996 amateur-built OGG GLASAIR I, registered N70GG, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Reno, Nevada (Reno/Stead airport). It was an air show or air race 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 failure of an induction elbow following an engine backfire, which resulted in an in-flight fire and loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2016 · about 6:25 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
- Amateur-built OGG GLASAIR I, built 1996
- Registration
- N70GG · registry record · serial 7
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Air show or air race flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot reported that the engine operated normally during the takeoff and initial climb to join up in race formation for the start of a closed course air race. During the initial climb, the pilot tested the nitrous system with no anomalies noted. At the start of the race, the airplanes began a descent toward the first pylon. The pilot reported that she smoothly opened the throttle to full and turned the nitrous system on. The airplane flew normally as it accelerated, and the engine sounds were normal. As the airplane passed pylon No. 5, the engine suddenly stopped producing power. The pilot then pulled up and declared a mayday. She subsequently saw smoke begin to fill the cabin and flames on both sides of the engine cowling and in the cockpit under the instrument panel. The pilot subsequently landed on a runway, and emergency personnel extinguished the fire. The airplane owner reported that the engine had backfired before the loss of power. The backfire caused an explosion in the induction system, which broke the induction elbow. The throttle body and nitrous injector dropped into the bottom of the cowling and sprayed flammable fluid into the engine compartment, which resulted in the fire and loss of power.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Power plant › Air intake › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,800 hours in all; 87 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 697 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 17, 2016
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1P (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RTS Reno RI at 6:15 pm
- Destination: RTS Reno RI
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from KRNO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR16LA184.