- Date
- September 16, 2011, 16:26 local (23:26 UTC)
- Place
- Reno, NV
- Injuries
- 11 fatal, 66 serious; on the ground: 10 fatal, 66 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N79111North American/Aero Classics P-51D
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Aircraft structural failure
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 15, 2013
- Report
- Board-adopted at Board Meeting
- Investigation class
- Class 1
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA AVP - 100
- Safety recommendations
- Yes
- FAA report
- 20110916023789A
- Case key
- 81814
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 reduced stiffness of the elevator trim tab system that allowed aerodynamic flutter to occur at racing speeds. The reduced stiffness was a result of deteriorated locknut inserts that allowed the trim tab attachment screws to become loose and to initiate fatigue cracking in one screw sometime before the accident flight. Aerodynamic flutter of the trim tabs resulted in a failure of the left trim tab link assembly, elevator movement, high flight loads, and a loss of control. Contributing to the accident were the undocumented and untested major modifications to the airplane and the pilot’s operation of the airplane in the unique air racing environment without adequate flight testing.
Findings · 6
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 Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/reports.html. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAB-12/01. On September 16, 2011, about 1625 Pacific daylight time, an experimental, single-seat North American P-51D, N79111, collided with the airport ramp in the spectator box seating area following a loss of control during the National Championship Air Races unlimited class gold race at the Reno/Stead Airport (RTS), Reno, Nevada. The airplane was registered to Aero-Trans Corp (dba Leeward Aeronautical Sales), Ocala, Florida, and operated by the commercial pilot as Race 177, The Galloping Ghost, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot and 10 people on the ground sustained fatal injuries, and at least 64 people on the ground were injured (at least 16 of whom were reported to have sustained serious injuries). The airplane sustained substantial damage, fragmenting upon collision with the ramp. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local air race flight, which departed RTS about 10 minutes before the accident.
Factual narrative
The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/reports.html. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAB-12/01. On September 16, 2011, about 1625 Pacific daylight time, an experimental, single-seat North American P-51D, N79111, collided with the airport ramp in the spectator box seating area following a loss of control during the National Championship Air Races unlimited class gold race at the Reno/Stead Airport (RTS), Reno, Nevada. The airplane was registered to Aero-Trans Corp (dba Leeward Aeronautical Sales), Ocala, Florida, and operated by the commercial pilot as Race 177, The Galloping Ghost, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The pilot and 10 people on the ground sustained fatal injuries, and at least 64 people on the ground were injured (at least 16 of whom were reported to have sustained serious injuries). The airplane sustained substantial damage, fragmenting upon collision with the ramp. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the local air race flight, which departed RTS about 10 minutes before the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N79111
- Reported as
- North American/Aero Classics P-51D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 44-15651
- Engine
- Ama/Expr UNKNOWN ENG, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Air race/show · Part 91
- Operator
- James K Leeward
- Registered owner
- Aero-Trans Corp DBA
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- KRTS · Reno, NV
- Destination
- KRTS · Reno, NV
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Airport
- KRTS · Reno/Stead Airport
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
- 74
- Injuries
- Fatal
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Single-engine sea, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 260° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 11,000 ft
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 32 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.98 inHg
- Observed at
- KRTS
Docket · 59
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 21, 2012, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 88.6 MB 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.
Other investigations on N79111 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.