# Accident 19990506004669A: Wsk PZL104, Reno, NV, May 6, 1999 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 6, 1999, 10:30 local time - Place: Reno, NV - Airport: Reno/Stead Airport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Roll-Out (Fixed Wing) - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Location: 39.4797° N, 119.7398° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4797&lon=-119.7398&mi=10 - Aircraft: N4UU, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N4UU) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Wsk-Pzl Warzawa-Okecie PZL-104 WILGA 80 (registry code 9810280, https://openairdocs.org/model/wsk-pzl-warzawa-okecie-pzl-104-wilga-80) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: WSK PZL104 - People aboard: 2 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 7,093 total, 33 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99LA170](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA170) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990506004669A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. ACFT GROUND LOOPED ON LANDING. (FROM .19) ON MAY 6, 1999, AT 1030 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A WSK-PZL WARZAWA-OKECIE PZL-104 WILGA 80, N4UU, (A POLISH MANUFACTURED AIRPLANE), GROUND LOOPED WHILE LANDING AT THE RENO-STEAD AIRPORT, RENO, NEVADA. THE EXPERIMENTAL AIRCRAFT, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PRIVATE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTAINTIAL DAMAGE. NEITHER THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT LICENSED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR NOR THE PRIVATE PILOT TRAINEE WERE INJURED. THE LOCAL INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CFR PART 91 AND ORIGINATED ABOUT 0830 FROM THE RENO-STEAD AIRPORT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT THEY WERE LANDING ON RUNWAY 26. HE STATED THAT THE PILOT TRAINEE APPLIED THE BRAKES ON THE LANDING ROLL AND THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED. THE AIRPLANE THEN NOSED OVER AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. (-23)AT 1030 LCAL TIME ON 05-06-99 AIRCRAFT N4UU MADE A LANDING ON RUNWAY 26. ON ROLLOUT THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A GROUD LOOP TO THE RIGHT AND FLIPPED OVER ONTO ITS BACK CRUSHING THE VERTICAL STABILIZER AND RUDDER. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST AT THE INTERSECTION OF RUNWAY 8/26 AND TAXIWAY ECHO. (.4)THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT THEY WERE LANDING ON RUNWAY 26 AND THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE WITH A SLIGHT CRAB TO THE LEFT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT THE PILOT TRAINEE 'OVERCORRECTED WITH RIGHT RUDDER INPUT CAUSING A SWERVE TO THE RIGHT.' THE PILOT TRAINEE APPLIED LEFT RUDDER BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED TO VEER TO THE RIGHT. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT HE TOOK THE FLIGHT CONTROLS IN AN EFFORT TO CORRECT THE DRIFT, BUT REALIZED THAT THE 'SWERVE HAD BECOME UNCONTROLLABLE.' HE STATED THAT HE FELT IT WAS TOO LATE TO RECOVER BY APPLYING ENGINE POWER, SO HE BEGAN TO APPLY CONTROL INPUTS FOR A GROUND LOOP. AS THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO GROUND LOOP, THE LEFT WING CONTACTED THE RUNWAY SURFACE. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO RISE, AND THE COMBINATION OF A SLIGHT TAIL WIND, A LEFT WING HEAVY FUEL LOAD, AND POSSIBLE EXCESSIVE BRAKING RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT PITCHING OVER AND COMING TO REST INVERTED ON THE RUNWAY. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT THE AUTOMATED WEATHER OBSERVATION SERVICE (AWOS) AT THE AIRPORT INDICATED THAT THE WINDS WERE FROM THE EAST AT 4 KNOTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. ## 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 LAX99LA170](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99LA170), May 6, 1999: Wsk Pzl Warzawa-Okecie PZL-104 Wilga 80 (N4UU), Reno, NV, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor's improper supervision of the pilot trainee and his failure to make timely control inputs in order to maintain aircraft control. ## Other reports on N4UU (1) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20131027020229I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20131027020229I), Oct 27, 2013: Wsk-Pzl Warzawa-Okecie PZL-104 WILGA 80 (N4UU), Williston, FL, Minor damage. The aircraft lined up to runway 05 at short final with full flaps and 65KTS. Flaring out until touch down, still straight to the middle of runway. After a… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.