Northrop F5 accident near Reno, Nevada, August 24, 2020
On August 24, 2020 at about 5:03 pm local time, a 1975 Northrop F5, registered N926TA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Reno, Nevada (Reno/Stead airport). It was a business 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to complete the pre-landing checklist due to a distraction which resulted in a gear-up landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 2020 · about 5:03 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
- Northrop F5 E, built 1975 · all F5s on the register
- Registration
- N926TA · registry record · serial 75-0493
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The operator reported that while the pilot was in the airport traffic pattern, he was distracted by a radio transmission on the common traffic advisory frequency from additional landing traffic at the airport. The operator stated that the pilot continued his approach to landing, with the landing gear still retracted, having not completed the landing checklist. While on final approach, the pilot received a "terrain, terrain" alert, and perceived he was slightly low, and added power. Subsequently, the airplane landed gear up. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the horizontal stabilizer. The operator reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during approach
- Landing gear not configured during landing defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,838 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 2,350 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 5, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,335.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 13, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 15,320 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: General Electric J85-21C (turbojet); 1,715 hours total
- Engine 2: General Electric J85-21C (turbojet); 2,257 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RTS Reno NV at 4:00 pm
- Destination: RTS Reno NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 am from KRTS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 9, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Damage Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.