- Date
- October 26, 2023, 15:02 local (22:02 UTC)
- Place
- Reno, NV · short of runway on airport property
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N840KBGulfstream Aerospace Commander 690C
- Defining event
- Approach-VFR pattern final: Abrupt maneuver
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20231026019099A
- Case key
- 193324
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 applicant’s excessive nose down pitch, and the check pilot’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in an impact with terrain.
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 check pilot of the multi engine airplane reported that he was conducting a familiarization flight with a pilot that his company was in the process of hiring (pilot applicant.) On final approach, at approximately 100 ft above ground level, the pilot applicant made a pitch adjustment and the airplane’s nose pitched down excessively. Both pilots pulled back on the yokes to arrest the descent, but the airplane impacted terrain short of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and fuselage. The check pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N840KB
- Reported as
- Gulfstream Aerospace Commander 690C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 11640
- Built
- 1980
- Airframe hours
- 7,142
- Engines
- Honeywell TPE331-10T-513K, 717 horsepower, turbo propHoneywell TPE331-10T-513K, 717 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · August 9, 2023
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- RTS · Reno/Stead, runway 08, 7,608 × 150 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, Stall warning system, Satellite tracking device, Onboard weather, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- November 14, 2022
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 3,905.6 total · 3,512 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days
- Role
- Check pilot
- Age
- 62
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 25, 2023
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 6,461 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 4,700 as pilot in command · 161 in the last 90 days · 22 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 46 °F, dew point 21 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.13 inHg
- Observed at
- KRTS
- METAR
- KRTS 262215Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 08/M06 A3013
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.