# Accident 19990918027849A: Amtr P51R, Reno, NV, September 18, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 18, 1999, 16:05 local time
- Place: Reno, NV
- Airport: Reno/Stead Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.7097° N, 119.8204° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7097&lon=-119.8204&mi=10
- Aircraft: N57LR, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N57LR-2002-08-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: North American/Rogers B L P-51R (registry code 05602GN, https://openairdocs.org/model/north-american-rogers-b-l-p-51r) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce GRIFFON (registry code 54501, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-griffon) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMTR P51R
- Reported engine: RROYCE GRIFFON
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 6,500 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX99FA311](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99FA311) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990918027849A

## Narrative

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

(.4)THE EMPENNAGE ASSEMBLY OF THE EXPERIMENTAL RACE PLANE SEPARATED AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED DURING THE FIRST LAP OF AN UNLIMITED CLASS HEAT RACE AT THE RENO NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP AIR RACES. THE WRECKAGE WAS SPREAD OVER APPROXIMATELY A 0.5-MILE PATH.  THE FIRST ITEM LOCATED IN THE WRECKAGE PATH WAS THE LOWER HALF-SPAN OF THE RUDDER CONTROL. APPROXIMATELY 1/8 MILE FURTHER ALONG THE DEBRIS PATH WAS A WRECKAGE FIELD ABOUT 500 FEET LONG CONTAINING THE REMAINDER OF THE EMPENNAGE (INCLUDING THE RUDDER TRIM TAB), EXCEPT THE RUDDER UPPER HALF-SPAN.  THE RUDDER UPPER HALF-SPAN, INCLUDING THE MASS BALANCE, WAS LOCATED ABOUT 1,900 FEET TO THE RIGHT OF THE DEBRIS FIELD.  WHEN LAID TOGETHER, THE RUDDER EXHIBITED A SHREDDED APPEARANCE THROUGH THE MIDSPAN FORWARD OF THE RUDDER TRIM TAB LOCATION.  REVIEW OF A SPECTATOR VIDEO RECORDING TAKEN FROM THE REAR IN THE SECONDS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT SHOWED THAT, WHILE THE OTHER PARTS OF THE AIRCRAFT WERE VISIBLE, THE RUDDER AND VERTICAL STABILIZER WERE NOT VISIBLE.  THE VIDEO TECHNICIAN OPINED THAT THE DISAPPEARANCE OF THE VERTICAL FIN AND RUDDER MIGHT HAVE BEEN THE RESULT OF 'VIDEO SMEARING' IF THE RUDDER WAS MOVING RAPIDLY AND THE VIDEO IMAGE RECORDER RAT E COULD NOT KEEP UP WITH IT. THE PRECIPITATING EVENT WAS NOT DETERMINED DURING EXTENSIVE RECONSTRUCTION AND ANALYSIS OF THE EMPENNAGE.               (-23)AIRCRAFT WAS PARTICIPATING IN THE 1999 RENO AIR RACE. WHILE IN THE UNLIMITED GOLD HEAT 3A RACE FIRST LAP, AIRCRAFT DISENTIGRATED WHILE NEGOTIATING 1ST TURN BY PYLON 1.

## 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 LAX99FA311](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX99FA311), Sep 18, 1999: No American/Rogers B L P-51R (N57LR), Reno, NV, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The onset of a flutter event and the resultant separation of the rudder and empennage from the aircraft. The precipitating cause for the flutter could not be determined.

## Other reports on N57LR (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 19990913032189I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990913032189I), Sep 13, 1999: Amtr P51R (N57LR), Eugene, OR, Minor damage. (-23) Inbound to Eugene airport, pilot declared an emergency due to oil on the windshield. Aircraft landed without incident. Repair facility reported that 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.

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