- Date
- June 27, 1990, 14:57 local (21:57 UTC)
- Place
- Reno, NV
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N64845Cessna 152
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 20, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900627022699A
- Case key
- 41222
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 use of an inappropriate runway. The gusty tailwind and the pilot's lack of experience were factors related to the accident.
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 student pilot reported that during the takeoff ground run on rwy 16R, he was aware of a quartering tailwind. After takeoff and approximately 10 feet AGL, a gust of wind caught the airplane. The pilot was unable to maintain control as the nose of the airplane pitched up then down to the runway. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane at the time of the accident. The winds were from 300 degrees at 11 kt gusting to 20 kt.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N64845
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15281451
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 110 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Registered owner
- C & J Of Nevada
- Departed
- RNO · Reno, NV
- Airport
- RNO · Reno Cannon, runway 16R, 10,002 × 150 ft, concrete
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 44 total · 44 in this make and model · 13 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 11 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- RNO
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N64845 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.