N3772A

On May 11, 2002, at 1450 Pacific daylight time, a Piper PA-22-135, N3772A, veered off runway 8 and ground looped while landing at the Reno Stead Airport, Reno, Nevada. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The private pilot, the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The local area personal flight departed from the Reno Stead Airport about 1445, to practice takeoffs and landings at the airport.

In a telephone interview, the pilot stated that he intended to do a few pattern circuits to practice takeoffs and landings and was using runway 8. The accident happened on the first landing. Just after touchdown, the airplane hit what the pilot described as some sort of hump in the pavement and bounced up in the air again. He added some power to cushion the touchdown and the airplane veered off the runway and into the infield area. It touched down in the dirt and he was unable to regain control before the airplane ground looped. The pilot said he is not certain, but he thinks he may have encountered a gust of wind that helped induce the loss of control. He stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures that preceded the loss of control.

A Federal Aviation Administration inspector from the Reno Flight Standards District Office, reported that there is a small hump in the pavement near the approach end of runway 8.