Aero Vodochody L39C N8124N
14 June 2013 · Reno, Nevada, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 14 June 2013 at about 00:05 local time, a Aero Vodochody L39C registered N8124N, operated by Larry Lee, was involved in an accident near Reno, Nevada, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 00:05
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Reno, Nevada, United States
- Nearest airport
- Reno/Stead Airport (RTS)
- Coordinates
- 39.6681, -119.8764
- Aircraft
- Aero Vodochody L39C
- Registration
- N8124N
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Larry Lee
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Air Race/Show
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Reno → Reno
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- WPR13LA270
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to see and avoid the other airplane during an air race training session, which resulted in a midair collision.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
Two airplanes, Race 99 and Race 777, collided in midair during a practice closed-course air racing session. At the time of the collision, four airplanes were navigating the course. Three of the airplanes were being flown in formation by rookie race pilots who were learning the race course and establishing landmarks to navigate the pylons. Race 99 was the last airplane in the three-ship rookie formation flight. The other airplane, Race 777, was being flown by a certified racer. The president of the jet class reported that the certified racer was instructed to avoid the three-ship rookie formation because it was maneuvering at slower speeds around the course for orientation. After the three-ship rookie formation flew around pylons 1 through 3 and began to maneuver the turn around pylon 4, Race 777 approached Race 99 from behind at a lower altitude and a considerably higher speed likely because the pilot had experience flying the race course. As both airplanes maneuvered around pylon 4, Race 777, which was lower and closer to the inner area of the race course, caught up to Race 99 and collided with it. Following the collision, both airplanes landed without further incident.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aero Vodochody L39C | N8124N | Larry Lee | Substantial |
| Aero Vodochody L39C | N2399V | Terrence Fornof | Substantial |
Other Aero Vodochody L39C accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Sep 2012 | Aero Vodochody L39C | Davenport, Iowa, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 21 Jan 2012 | Aero Vodochody L39C | Rainbow City, Alabama, United States | Thomas L. Coble | Fatal | 1 |
| 9 Jul 2011 | Aero Vodochody L39C | West Milford, New Jersey, United States | Air Vatche Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 8 Oct 2017 | Aero Vodochody L39C | Vernon, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Apr 2013 | Cessna 182D | Wellington, Nevada, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 20 Apr 2013 | Bell 206B | Wells, Nevada, United States | Reeder Flying Service | No injuries | - |
| 18 Feb 2013 | Bell 206B | Eureka, Nevada, United States | Bureau of Land Management | Fatal | 1 |
| 28 Apr 2013 | Cessna 172N | Henderson, Nevada, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 15 Sep 2013 | Mooney M20J | Lund, Nevada, United States | Smith Plane LLC | No injuries | - |
| 23 Jun 2013 | Beechcraft A45 | Boulder City, Nevada, United States | Jet Test and Transport LLC | Fatal | 2 |