Preliminary Reports

At about 0950 Central time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and the ground following takeoff. Visual conditions prevailed. The private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured; one passenger was seriously injured.

At about 1450 Pacific time, the airplane experienced partial failure of the primary airframe structure supporting its rudder while in the race pattern at Reno-Stead Airport. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured, but the airplane sustained substantial damage. The air-race qualification/training flight was operating in visual conditions.

The airplane collided with the parking ramp while attempting to land at 0444 Central time. Night visual conditions prevailed. The flight instructor and private pilot receiving instruction were killed. The airplane was destroyed by a post-crash fire. At 04:34:46, the flight was cleared for the option to land on Runway 1. At 04:37:44, the flight requested a right turn to 2000 feet and a “high key” simulated engine failure approach to Runway 1. At 04:44:05, the pilot stated he was doing another 360-degree turn for Runway 1. No further communications were received.

The airplane was destroyed following a collision with trees and terrain at about 1303 Eastern time. The commercial pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed; an IFR flight plan was filed and active. A pilot reported observing the accident pilot perform about eight engine run-ups prior to departure. He stated it sounded like the pilot was trying to clean the spark plugs or he was having trouble with the magnetos firing properly.

The airplane impacted terrain at about 1300 mountain time. The private pilot and three of his passengers received serious injuries; one of his passengers received minor injuries. The airplane, which belonged to a friend of the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The flight was operating in visual conditions.

At about 1845 Pacific time, the airplane landed hard during a forced landing. The commercial pilot was not injured but the airplane sustained substantial damage. Visual conditions prevailed. The airplane had just undergone an avionics and flight-instrument upgrade. This was the first time the pilot had flown the airplane solo since the new system was installed.

The airplane collided with terrain during takeoff at 1727 Pacific time. The airline transport pilot captain, commercial pilot first officer and flight engineer sustained minor injuries. The converted aerial refueling tanker sustained substantial damage to its wings, fuselage and empennage from impact forces and a post-crash fire. Visual conditions prevailed. At about 20 feet agl, the number two (left inboard) engine throttle lever slammed back to the idle position. The airplane stopped climbing, and the captain adjusted the pitch slightly down to hold V2 speed.

At 0834 Eastern time, the airplane sustained substantial damage when it impacted terrain about 120 feet short of the runway during an attempted go-around. The private pilot and two passengers were not injured, but a third passenger received serious injuries. Visual conditions prevailed. After executing the GPS-A instrument approach and circling to align the airplane with the runway, the airplane was maintaining about 90-85 KIAS and descending at about 400 fpm. About mile from the runway, the pilot thought the airplane was too high, but “a few seconds later” the airplane felt like it “literally just dropped out of the sky.”

The airplane sustained substantial damage when it collided with mountainous terrain at approximately 1100 Mountain time, The solo pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. A preliminary review of radar data revealed a VFR target proceeding north-northwest before making a left turn toward the west and continuing on a westerly heading toward rising terrain before radar data ended at approximately 1100.

At about 1745 Eastern time, the airplane crashed in an empty parking lot. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger received serious injuries, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. Visual conditions prevailed. Immediately after takeoff, witnesses observed the airplane maneuver in a “quick,” sharp, right turn at low altitude. Several minutes later the airplane was observed to “swoop” down toward the approach end of the runway and pulled up until it was in the opposite direction from whence it came; this maneuver was performed twice at an estimated altitude of 250 feet agl.