Pitts S-1S N64652

Summary

On 2 June 1989 at about 20:15 local time, a Pitts S-1S registered N64652, operated by Arsenault, Donald S., was involved in an accident near Henryetta, Oklahoma, United States. 5 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 June 1989 at 20:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Henryetta, Oklahoma, United States

Coordinates

35.4398, -95.9805

Aircraft

Pitts S-1S

Registration

N64652

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Arsenault, Donald S.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mc Alester → Bartlesville

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW89FA107

1 person was seriously injured.

AN ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO THE SEPARATION AND DEPARTURE OF AN EXHAUST STACK. THE STACK FAILED DUE TO POOR WELD. FACTOR(S) WAS: THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS OF THE SELECTED FORCED LANDING SITE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

POWER LOSS OCCURRED DUE TO SEPARATION AND DEPARTURE OF LOWER 1/2 RT EXHAUST STACK. PLT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON THE 2 NORTHBOUND LANES OF A DIVIDED HWY. ON SHORT FINAL, THE ACFT STRUCK POWER LINES, CRASHED, AND SLID INTO A TRUCK TRAVELLING NORTH. A PASSENGER CAR, TRAVELLING SOUTH, BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE WIRES AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER BEHICLE. THE POWER LINE POLES WERE MASKED FROM VIEW BY TREES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD. EXAMINATION OF THE EXHAUST STACK REVEALED THAT IT HAD UNDERGONE EXTENSIVE POST-MANUFACTURE REPAIRS IN THE AREA OF THE SEPARATION. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF EXTENSIVE WELD FUSION ZONE POROSITY IN THE AREA THAT HAD BEEN WELDED. WELD FUSION ZONE POROSITY HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED IN THE PAST TO POOR SURFACE PREPARATION AND WELD REPAIR TECHNIQUES.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.