Pitts S-1T accident near Spring, Texas, February 17, 2022
On February 17, 2022 at about 8:48 pm local time, a 2007 Pitts S-1T, registered N731FL, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Spring, Texas (David Wayne Hooks Meml airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of maintenance personnel to properly connect the throttle cable, which led to the pilot’s inability to control engine power during the initial climb. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s misjudgment of the headwind during the forced landing, which resulted in the airplane’s touchdown short of the runway and its impact with airport structures.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 2022 · about 8:48 pm local time
- Place
- Spring, Texas · David Wayne Hooks Meml · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S-1T, built 2007 · all S-1Ts on the register
- Registration
- N731FL · registry record · serial 1061
- 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, during the initial climbout, the engine did not respond to his throttle movements. The pilot turned the airplane back toward the airport and entered the downwind leg. While on the base leg, the pilot turned off the engine ignition switch and performed a forced landing. Due to a higher-than-anticipated headwind, the pilot misjudged the flight profile, and the airplane touched down short of the runway and impacted instrument landing system structures, which damaged both wings, the fuselage, and the empennage. Postaccident examination revealed the throttle cable was disconnected from the throttle lever arm at the fuel injector/control. A loose washer was found at the bottom of the engine cowling, and the castellated nut and cotter pin required for proper installation of the throttle linkage were not located. During the last annual inspection, the throttle cable had been disconnected to perform maintenance actions. The linkage hardware was likely not secured properly after that maintenance was performed, which resulted in the separation and subsequently the engine did not to respond to the pilot’s inputs during initial climb.
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
What happened, in order
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during initial climb defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › Power lever › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Flight planning/navigation › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › High wind › Decision related to condition
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › (general) › Maintenance personnel
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,328 hours in all; 1,900 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 3,257 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 6, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 28, 2021; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-A1E (piston); 1,000 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DWH Houston TX at 7:56 pm
- Destination: DWH Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35L, 7,009 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KDWH, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KDWH 171953Z 31008G15KT 10SM CLR 27/09 A2990 RMK AO2 SLP122 T02670089
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN22LA123.