Pitts S-1S accident near Ridgeway, Virginia, October 16, 1988
On October 16, 1988 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Pitts S-1S, registered N66RJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ridgeway, Virginia (Pace 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
- October 16, 1988 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Ridgeway, Virginia · Pace Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S-1S · all S-1Ss on the register
- Registration
- N66RJ · registry record · serial 779X
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LANDED TO THE SOUTH ON THE PRIVATE AIRSTRIP. IN AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE A LEFT 180 DEG TURN TO BACK TAXI ON THE RUNWAY AND AVOID ACFT PARKED ALONG THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, THE PILOT STEERED HIS AIRPLANE TO THE RIGHT. WHILE TURNING TO THE RIGHT, THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED INTO A DITCH AND NOSED OVER. THE RUNWAY NARROWS AT THE POINT WHERE THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED INTO THE DITCH.
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: 2,219 hours in all; 555 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 698 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 1988; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 41A Mayodan NC at 6:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.