Pitts S-1 accident near Reidsville, North Carolina, March 1, 1992
On March 1, 1992 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Pitts S-1, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N517L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reidsville, North Carolina (Warf 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 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.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 1, 1992 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Reidsville, North Carolina · Warf · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S-1, amateur-built · all S-1s on the register
- Registration
- N517L · registry record · serial BP-2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 781 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 747 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 480 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 12, 1991; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,050 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Boonville NC at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from GSO, 20 miles away
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.