# Accident 19980917024899A: Amtr CASSUTT1, Reno, NV, September 17, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 17, 1998, 09:40 local time
- Place: Reno, NV
- Airport: Reno/Stead Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: In Traffic Pattern-Circling
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.4905° N, 119.8403° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4905&lon=-119.8403&mi=10
- Aircraft: N94HA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N94HA-1999-09-22) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cassutt 111M2 (registry code 05601EK, https://openairdocs.org/model/cassutt-111m2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR CASSUTT1
- Reported engine: CONT O200A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 17,380 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX98LA295](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA295) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980917024899A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX98LA295](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX98LA295), Sep 17, 1998: Hughes Cassutt 111M2 (N94HA), Reno, NV, substantial damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed margin while maneuvering in gusty wind conditions, which led to an inadvertent stall/spin at low altitude.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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