- Date
- September 12, 1985, 12:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Reno, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N86WWNorth American SNJ-4
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19850912076169I
- Case key
- 24564
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the incident.
On this page
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
The pilot experienced a 'severe vibration' and made an emergency landing during a heat race at the national championship air races. Subsequent examination revealed that a propeller blade pitch change bolt, p/n 53546, had failed, allowing one propeller blade to move into a high pitch blade angle.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N86WW
- Reported as
- North American SNJ-4
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 6400 414
- Engine
- P&W R1340 SERIES, 600 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Charles E. Beck
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- 45D
- Airport
- 45D · Reno-Stead, runway 8, 7,600 × 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
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.