- Date
- September 16, 2019, 10:15 local (17:15 UTC)
- Place
- Reno, NV
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N123TPzl Okecie PZL104
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 17, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 100275
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain bank control during takeoff in gusting crosswind conditions, resulting in a loss of control in flight and subsequent impact with terrain.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that prior to departure, while he refueled the airplane and taxied to the runway, the wind was "picking up and gusting" but "were comfortably within [his] personal and aircraft limits." During takeoff, as he "rolled on the power," the right wing started to lift so he corrected with full control input left but the airplane rolled to the right and impacted terrain. The pilot added that he did not get a wind check The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was 220° at 24 knots, gusting to 38 knots. The airplane was departing from runway 26. According to the manufacturer's Pilot's Operating Handbook for an unmodified airplane, the maximum demonstrated crosswind is 11.7 knots. The steady state crosswind component for the accident flight was 15 knots, with gusting winds, the crosswind component for the accident flight was 24 knots.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel equipped airplane reported that prior to departure, while he refueled the airplane and taxied to the runway, the wind was "picking up and gusting" but "were comfortably within [his] personal and aircraft limits." During takeoff, as he "rolled on the power," the right wing started to lift so he corrected with full control input left but the airplane rolled to the right and impacted terrain. The pilot added that he did not get a wind check The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was 220° at 24 knots, gusting to 38 knots. The airplane was departing from runway 26. According to the manufacturer's Pilot's Operating Handbook for an unmodified airplane, the maximum demonstrated crosswind is 11.7 knots. The steady state crosswind component for the accident flight was 15 knots, with gusting winds, the crosswind component for the accident flight was 24 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N123T
- Reported as
- Pzl Okecie PZL104 (M)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 00060024
- Built
- 2008
- Airframe hours
- 695
- Engine
- Pratt & Whitney PT6-28, 680 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · July 10, 2019
- Departed
- RTS · Reno, NV
- Destination
- SPK · Spanish Fork, UT
- Airport
- RTS · Reno/Stead, runway 26, 7,608 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, Electronic multifunction display, Angle of attack indicator, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 15, 2019
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 10,350 total · 300 in this make and model · 9,700 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 220° at 24 knots, gusting 38
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 63 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.87 inHg
- Observed at
- KRTS
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 21, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 1.3 MB in all.