- Date
- August 14, 2005, 08:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Reno, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N6045DPiper PA-22-150
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 20, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20050814018949A
- Case key
- 62244
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 inadequate compensation for the crosswind gust and failure to maintain lateral and directional control during the landing flare.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
During the landing flare, the right wing tip contacted the ground and the airplane veered off the runway. Thereafter, the airplane came to rest adjacent to the runway, on level dirt terrain, and in a nose down attitude. The pilot said the accident occurred during the pilot's fourth touch-and-go landing on runway 26 upon encountering a southerly wind gust. No mechanical malfunction was experienced with the airplane. Minutes before and after the accident, the airport's wind was reported as calm.
Factual narrative
On August 14, 2005, about 0800 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-22-150, N6045D, veered off the runway while flaring for an intended touch-and-go landing on runway 26 at the Reno/Stead Airport, Reno, Nevada. The airplane came to rest on level, dirt terrain, in a nose down attitude adjacent to the runway. The airplane was substantially damaged. The private pilot, who co-owned the airplane, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight. The flight was performed under the provision of 14 CFR Part 91, and it originated from the airport about 0730.
The pilot reported to the National Transportation Safety Board investigator that she lost control of her airplane during the fourth touch-and-go landing when she encountered a southerly wind gust. The airplane touched down with its nose pointing in a southwesterly direction, and its right wing tip contacted the ground. No mechanical malfunction was experienced with the airplane.
At 0756 and 0856, the airport's wind was reported calm. The visibility was at least 10 miles.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6045D
- Reported as
- Piper PA-22-150
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 22-4698
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Diane Bigby
- Registered owner
- Greg and Diane Bigby
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 4SD · Reno, CA
- Destination
- 4SD · Reno, CA
- Airport
- 4SD · Reno/Stead, runway 26, 7,608 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 46
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3
- Flight hours
- 84 total · 84 in this make and model · 2 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 160 °F, dew point 88 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.09 inHg
- Observed at
- 4SD
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.