Pitts S1S accident near Wonewoc, Wisconsin, November 21, 1982
On November 21, 1982 at about 6:15 am local time, a Pitts S1S, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N22WB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wonewoc, Wisconsin (Three Castles 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
- November 21, 1982 · about 6:15 am local time
- Place
- Wonewoc, Wisconsin · Three Castles · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S1S, amateur-built · all S1Ss on the register
- Registration
- N22WB · registry record · serial 1WB
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT WHEN HE TURNED ON FINAL AND SLIPPED THE AIRCRAFT TO LOSE ALTITUDE. WHILE REDUCING THE POWER TO IDLE THE GEAR TANGLED IN HIGH GRASS (WEEDS), CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO LOSE ADDITIONAL ALTITUDE. HE STATED THE AIRCRAFT TUMBLED FORWARD, STRIKING THE NOSE BEFORE FLIPPING OVER.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,509 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 63 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 87 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C Romeoville IL at 1:32 am
- Destination: C Wonewoc IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 2,700 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 41°F (5°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.