- Date
- September 11, 2019, 14:43 local (21:43 UTC)
- Place
- Reno, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N515JDPitts S1
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 17, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190911023049A
- Case key
- 100633
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 directional control during landing, which resulted in a runway excursion and a ground loop.
Findings · 3
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 reported that, during landing, the biplane encountered a right crosswind, veered right off the runway, and ground looped. The biplane sustained substantial damage to the lower left wing and rudder. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the biplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped biplane reported that, during landing, the airplane encountered a right crosswind, veered to the right off the runway, and ground looped to the right. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower left wing and rudder. 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 from 150° at 4 knots. The pilot added that he believed he encountered a dust devil. The pilot was landing the airplane on runway 08.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N515JD
- Reported as
- Pitts S1 (S)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- RB2016
- Built
- 2016
- Airframe hours
- 114.3
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-A, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Air race/show · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · June 19, 2019
- Departed
- RTS · Reno, NV
- Destination
- RTS · Reno, NV
- Airport
- RTS · Reno/Stead, runway 08, 7,608 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- None
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
- 62
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 15, 2019
- Seat
- Center
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 6,718 total · 75 in this make and model · 6,210 as pilot in command · 27 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.21 inHg
- Observed at
- KRTS
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 7, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 971 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.