What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On September 17, 1998, at 0940 hours pacific daylight time, experimental amateur built cassutt, 111M2, s/n H-1, N94HA, collided with the ground while on base leg for landing at Reno/Stead Airport, Reno, Nevada. The aircraft was participating in a race at the Reno national championship air races, and had completed a formula 1 heat race and was on approach for landing at the time of the accident. The aircraft was destroyed in the ground collision, and the airline transport pilot sustained fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local flight. (.4) at the conclusion of an international formula one (IF1) heat race at the Reno national championship air races, four racers queued for landing. Winds were from 240 degrees at 17 knots gusting to 25 knots. Two airplanes landed successfully. A third airplane on final was closing on the airplane ahead and the pilot elected to do a left 360-degree turn and reenter the landing pattern. The fourth airplane was just turning onto the base leg at this time. Witnesses stated this airplane started a turn to the right and the nose of the airplane went up. This was followed by an immediate roll and entry into a nearly verti cal, rolling dive. The airplane came to rest in the back yard of a residence. The pilot of the third airplane reported no adverse wind conditions on his base leg, but winds on base to final were gusty and the ride was bumpy. IF1 technicians under the supervision of the federal aviation administration investigator found no discrepancies with the airframe or engine during a postaccident examination.
As the FAA filed it
ON SEPTEMBER 17, 1998, AT 0940 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT CASSUTT, 111M2, S/N H-1, N94HA, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND WHILE ON BASE LEG FOR LANDING AT RENO/STEAD AIRPORT, RENO, NEVADA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS PARTICIPATING IN A RACE AT THE RENO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AIR RACES, AND HAD COMPLETED A FORMULA 1 HEAT RACE AND WAS ON APPROACH FOR LANDING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED IN THE GROUND COLLISION, AND THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT PILOT SUSTAINED FATAL INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL FLIGHT. (.4) AT THE CONCLUSION OF AN INTERNATIONAL FORMULA ONE (IF1) HEAT RACE AT THE RENO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AIR RACES, FOUR RACERS QUEUED FOR LANDING. WINDS WERE FROM 240 DEGREES AT 17 KNOTS GUSTING TO 25 KNOTS. TWO AIRPLANES LANDED SUCCESSFULLY. A THIRD AIRPLANE ON FINAL WAS CLOSING ON THE AIRPLANE AHEAD AND THE PILOT ELECTED TO DO A LEFT 360-DEGREE TURN AND REENTER THE LANDING PATTERN. THE FOURTH AIRPLANE WAS JUST TURNING ONTO THE BASE LEG AT THIS TIME. WITNESSES STATED THIS AIRPLANE STARTED A TURN TO THE RIGHT AND THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE WENT UP. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY AN IMMEDIATE ROLL AND ENTRY INTO A NEARLY VERTI CAL, ROLLING DIVE. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN THE BACK YARD OF A RESIDENCE. THE PILOT OF THE THIRD AIRPLANE REPORTED NO ADVERSE WIND CONDITIONS ON HIS BASE LEG, BUT WINDS ON BASE TO FINAL WERE GUSTY AND THE RIDE WAS BUMPY. IF1 TECHNICIANS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INVESTIGATOR FOUND NO DISCREPANCIES WITH THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE DURING A POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.