Pitts SPECIAL S-1S accident near Bartlesville, Oklahoma, May 29, 2026
On May 29, 2026 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1981 Pitts SPECIAL S-1S, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N11JP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Bartlesville, Oklahoma (Bartlesville Municipal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control during the landing rollout and subsequent aborted landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 2026 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bartlesville, Oklahoma · Bartlesville Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts SPECIAL S-1S, built 1981, amateur-built
- Registration
- N11JP · registry record · serial 676-H
- 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 after touchdown the airplane swerved to the left, he over-corrected, and the plane swerved left again, so he applied power for a go-around. While airborne, the airplane was in a 10 to 15° right bank and the lower right wing impacted a runway sign. The airplane then impacted a grassy area on its right side and both right wings sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 29.5 in the last 90 days; 12.1 in the last 30 days; 2,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 420.8 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, March 3, 2026
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 1,959 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 6,850 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 12:00 pm from KBVO
Weather report (METAR): METAR KBVO 291653Z AUTO 17004KT 10SM OVC013 24/21 A2994 RMK AO2 SLP127 T02440211
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CEN26LA206.