| Crash location | 39.713889°N, 119.866389°W
Reported location is a long distance from the NTSB's reported nearest city. This often means that the location has a typo, or is incorrect. |
| Nearest city | Reno, NV
39.529633°N, 119.813803°W 13.0 miles away |
| Tail number | N139PJ |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 14 Sep 2018 |
| Aircraft type | Aero Vodochody L 39 |
| Additional details: | None |
On September 14, 2018, about 1004 Pacific daylight time, an Aero Vodochody L39C, N139UK, operating as Race 13, and an Aero Vodochody L39, N139PJ, operating as Race 37 collided in midair about 3 miles north of the Reno Stead Airport (RTS), Reno, Nevada. The airline transport pilot of Race 13 and the airline transport pilot of Race 37 were not injured. Race 13 sustained minor damage to the left side of the fuselage and bottom of the left wing; Race 37 sustained substantial damage to the right wing and empennage. Race 13 was registered to Black Rock Aero LLC and Race 37 was registered to MPE Enterprises Corporation. Both airplanes were operated by the pilots under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as air race flights. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for either airplane. Both airplanes originated from RTS at 0950.
Information provided by representatives from the Jet Class Air Racing group revealed that during the fifth lap of the closed course air race, Race 13 and Race 37 collided while maneuvering near pylon 4 of the jet race course. Following the collision, both pilots declared a mayday and landed uneventfully.
Examination of Race 37 revealed that the outboard 24 inches of the right wing and right aileron were separated from the airplane. Additional damage to the bottom portion of the vertical stabilizer and the leading edge of the left horizontal stabilizer was observed. Examination of Race 13 revealed damage to two inspection panels and the wing root fairing on the forward left side of the fuselage.