Miller SPECIAL JM-2 N74M
15 September 1989 · Reno, Nevada, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 15 September 1989 at about 20:00 local time, a Miller SPECIAL JM-2 registered N74M was involved in an accident near Reno, Nevada, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 20:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Reno, Nevada, United States
- Nearest airport
- Reno (4SD)
- Coordinates
- 39.7099, -119.8193
- Aircraft
- Miller SPECIAL JM-2
- Registration
- N74M
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Not recorded
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- SEA89LA173
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
STRUCTURAL FAILURE WHEN DESIGN STRESS LIMITS WERE EXCEEDED AFTER ENCOUNTERING HAZARDOUS METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
DURING AN AIR RACE, WITNESSES REPORT THAT THE AIRPLANE FLEW THROUGH A DUST DEVIL PRIOR TO THE AIRPLANE BREAKING APART. THE DUST DEVIL WAS OBSERVED JUST OUTSIDE THE RACE COURSE ON THE PREVIOUS LAP BY ANOTHER PILOT. DUST DEVILS WERE REPORTED IN THE AREA THROUGHOUT THE DAY PRIOR TO THE RACE. THE AIRPLANES WERE ESTIMATED TO BE FLYING AT 250 MPH AT THE TIME.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 Nov 1989 | Piper PA-32-300 | Boulder City, Nevada, United States | Bellis, James E. | No injuries | - |
| 19 Nov 1989 | Balloon Works FIREFLY 7 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Richard K. Tanner | Minor injuries | - |
| 27 Jan 1989 | Piper PA-23-160 | Carson City, Nevada, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 29 Jan 1989 | Aeronca O-58B | Minden, Nevada, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 23 Feb 1989 | Mooney M20K | Incline Village, Nevada, United States | Performance Aircraft, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Apr 1989 | Cessna 172P | Hawthorne, Nevada, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |