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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

August 3, 1991 · Piper PA 28-180 · N5277L

Reno, NV

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
August 3, 1991
Injury Outcomes
3 injuries (3 fatalities)
Location
Reno, NV
Aircraft
Piper PA 28-180
Tail Number
N5277L
Operator
Squadron 2
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX91FA342

A Piper PA 28-180 collided with portable buildings on the airport after an in-flight loss of control. The pilot reported having problems receiving radio transmissions. The air traffic control tower cleared the pilot to land on the runway most into the wind. The airplane continued past the active runway and approached a perpendicular runway resulting in a quartering tailwind. The airplane overshot the final approach course of the perpendicular runway and initiated a go-around. During the go-around, witnesses observed the airplane not gaining altitude and at a slow airspeed. The witnesses also indicated the sound of the engine appeared normal. The airplane then turned right, into a quartering headwind, stalled, and descended vertically to the ground. The wind velocity at the time of the accident was 13 kts. The density altitude was computed to be about 7,500 feet MSL. According to the pilot operating handbook for the Piper PA 28-180, the airplane should have been capable of a 375 foot per minute rate of climb.

NTSB Probable Cause

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIRSPEED BY EMPLOYING AN EXCESSIVE ANGLE OF ATTACK DURING THE TAKEOFF CLIMB DURING A GO-AROUND RESULTING IN AN AERODYNAMIC STALL AND SUBSEQUENT INFLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S POOR APPROACH PLANNING, COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND A HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Full Narrative

A PIPER PA 28-180 COLLIDED WITH PORTABLE BUILDINGS ON THE AIRPORT AFTER AN IN FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL. THE PILOT REPORTED HAVING PROBLEMS RECEIVING RADIO TRANSMISSIONS. THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER CLEARED THE PILOT TO LAND ON THE RWY MOST INTO THE WIND. THE AIRPLANE CONTINUED PAST THE ACTIVE RWY AND APPROACHED A PERPENDICULAR RWY RESULTING IN A QUARTERING TAILWIND. THE AIRPLANE OVERSHOT THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE OF THE PERPENDICULAR RWY AND INITIATED A GO-AROUND. DURING THE GO-AROUND WITNESSES OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE NOT GAINING ALTITUDE AND AT A SLOW AIRSPEED. THE WITNESSES ALSO INDICATED THE SOUND OF THE ENGINE APPEARED NORMAL. THE AIRPLANE THEN TURNED RIGHT, INTO A QUARTERING HEADWIND, STALLED, AND DESCENDED VERTICALLY TO THE GROUND. THE WIND VELOCITY AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 13 KTS. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED TO BE ABOUT 7,500 FEET MSL. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT OPERATING HANDBOOK FOR THE PIPER PA 28-180, THE AIRPLANE SHOULD HAVE BEEN CAPABLE OF A 375 FOOT PER MINUTE RATE OF CLIMB.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time20:33 PDT
Nearest AirportRENO (0nm)
Runway16
Runway Length10000 ft
Runway Width150 ft
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireGrd
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA 28-180
Tail NumberN5277L
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorSquadron 2
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · O-360-A4A · Reciprocating · 180
Seats4

People & Injuries

Injury Summary3 injuries (3 fatalities)
Fatal3
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total3
Crew 1Age 35 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsVMC
LightDaylight
Wind300° @ 13 kt
Visibility20 sm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point39 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time03:45
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data