Pitts S2S accident near Somerville, Tennessee, July 21, 1982
On July 21, 1982 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Pitts S2S, registered N31461, was substantially damaged in an accident near Somerville, Tennessee (Fayette County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 1982 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Somerville, Tennessee · Fayette County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S2S · all S2Ss on the register
- Registration
- N31461 · registry record · serial 1006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN DURING A FORMATION LANDING, THE WINGMAN'S AIRCRAFT STRUCK AN ENGINE STAND THAT HAD BEEN PLACED OVER A HOLE IN THE RUNWAY. THE HOLE WAS LOCATED ABOUT 900 FT FROM THE APPROACH END AND WAS ABOUT 2 FT LONG, 1 FT WIDE, AND 1 FT DEEP. IT WAS MADE WHEN THE NOSEWHEEL OF A SABRELINER HAD BROKEN THROUGH THE ASPHALT ON THE PREVIOUS DAY. FLIGHT SERVICE WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE RUNWAY WAS CLOSED AND A NOTAM WAS ISSUED, BUT THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FSS HAD NOT RECEIVED IT UNTIL AFTER THE OCCURRENCE. THE MEMPHIS FAA AIRPORTS DISTRICT OFFICE HAD INSTRUCTED THAT THE AIRPORT BE MARKED CLOSED WITH AN "X" ACROSS THE ENDS OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WERE NO CLOSED MARKINGS PLACED ON THE RUNWAYS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,982 hours in all; 310 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 208 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-A4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Arlington TN at 12:30 pm
- Destination: SAF Santa Fe NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 198°F (92°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.