Pitts S-1 N517L

Summary

On 1 March 1992 at about 21:30 local time, a Pitts S-1 registered N517L, operated by Speer, James M. JR., was involved in an accident near Reidsville, North Carolina, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 March 1992 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Reidsville, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Warf (6A5)

Coordinates

36.3403, -79.6710

Aircraft

Pitts S-1

Registration

N517L

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Speer, James M. JR.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Boonville → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ATL92LA055

Nobody was injured.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO COMPENSATE FOR THE TAILWIND AND THE IMPROPER TOUCH DOWN POINT. FACTORS WERE THE TAILWIND AND DOWNDRAFT WHICH RESULTED FROM THE TALL OBSTACLES (TREES) AROUND THE RUNWAY.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT REPORTED THAT A DOWNWIND APPROACH WAS MADE TO THE AIRSTRIP . TREES BOUNDED THE APPROACH THRESHOLD ON THREE SIDES. ON SHORT FINAL THE WIND ACROSS THE TREES, A QUARTERING TAIL WIND, RESULTED IN A DOWNDRAFT. THE AIRPLANE UNDERSHOT THE RUNWAY & STRUCK ONE OF THE THRESHOLD LIGHTS, AS IT LANDED HARD. A BALKED LANDING WAS EXECUTED. UNKNOWN TO THE PILOT, THE COLLISION WITH THE THRESHOLD LIGHT HAD COLLAPSED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. ON THE SUBSEQUENT LANDING THE AIRPLANE VEERED AS IT TOUCHED DOWN WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTAIL DAMAGE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.