Accident Sequence
On September 18, 2022, about 1544 Pacific daylight time, an Aerovodochody L29-Delphin, registration N129MM, was destroyed during a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 air race flight near Reno, Nevada. The pilot, operating as Race 29, was on lap 3 of a 6-lap race and was alternating between first and second place with Race 77, another L-29. Witnesses reported that as the accident airplane neared outer pylon No. 4, it began to climb and tighten its left turn toward the inner course. At the climb's apex, the airplane entered an approximately 90° right bank and descended, then rolled left to an approximate 90° bank. It continued descending in a steep left bank, nose-low, until impacting terrain just beyond outer pylon No. 5. Post-impact fire ensued.
Multiple video recordings captured the sequence. One camera showed the airplane flying inside and lower than Race 77, then climbing in a left bank, rolling right to 90°, then rolling left; during the left roll, the nose pitched up briefly then down, and the left roll stopped at 90° left bank, nose-low, leading to impact. Another camera near pylon No. 4 showed Race 29 inside Race 77 in about a 90° left bank, then rolling right to 90° right bank, passing behind Race 77, then rolling left; as it reached 90° left bank, the nose pitched down, and it descended steeply until obscured by a tree.
The pilot of Race 77 stated that the accident pilot flew an extremely tight line with sharp, heavily loaded turns. Another jet-class pilot noted that weather and restricted visibility limited practice during race week, suggesting that more course time might have better prepared the pilot psychologically.
Wreckage Examination
The airplane impacted terrain on a heading of about 229° magnetic. The first identified point of contact was a swath of disturbed dirt consistent with a left-wing impact, continuing for about 180 ft to a large burn area. A 2,200-ft debris path along a heading of about 242° contained various fragments, including portions of both wings, empennage, and engine. Wreckage examination showed severe fragmentation. A photograph taken just before impact showed that all primary flight controls remained attached to the airframe. Flight control torque tubes were recovered; all rod end bearings appeared secure, and torque tube fractures were consistent with overload separation. No evidence of any preexisting mechanical malfunction with the recovered flight controls was observed.
Medical and Pathological Information
The 61-year-old male pilot held a second-class medical certificate with a limitation valid until June 30, 2023. His last aviation medical examination on June 14, 2022, reported high blood pressure (controlled and meeting CACI criteria), low testosterone treated with medication, and a 2016 episode of chest pain diagnosed as non-obstructive coronary artery disease, for which he had Special Issuance authorization. Medications included losartan, amlodipine, testosterone, anastrozole, and valacyclovir. His medical records documented prior cardiac evaluations, all without diagnostic findings of ischemia.
The autopsy by the Washoe County Regional Medical Examiner's Office determined the cause of death as blunt force injuries, manner accident. Severe injuries prevented structural evaluation of heart, lungs, and brain; no significant natural disease was identified. Postmortem toxicological testing detected caffeine and amlodipine (a prescribed antihypertensive). The report discusses that amlodipine, as a vasodilator, may theoretically affect G tolerance, and that high positive G forces can lead to G-induced loss of consciousness (G-LOC) or almost-loss-of-consciousness (A-LOC), but no causal link is established in the source.