Amateur-built S-1S accident near Mt. Pleasant, Michigan, April 10, 1988
On April 10, 1988 at about 3:45 pm local time, a amateur-built S-1S, registered N528MS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt. Pleasant, Michigan. 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
- April 10, 1988 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Mt. Pleasant, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built S-1S
- Registration
- N528MS · no longer on the register · serial EGA-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING SOME INVERTED MANEUVERS WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT STATED HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT WAS UNABLE TO. HE THEN EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FARM FIELD. DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND STRUCK A FURROW IN THE CULTIVATED SOIL CAUSING IT TO FLIP OVER ONTO ITS BACK, SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE AIRCRAFT. ACCORDING TO A MECHANIC, THE ENGINE QUIT AS A RESULT OF AN INCORRECT FLOP TUBE INSTALLED IN THE INVERTED FUEL SYSTEM WHEN THE HOMEBUILT AIRCRAFT WAS CONSTRUCTED. THE INCORRECT PART WAS CONSTRUCTED OF GARDEN HOSE MATERIAL AND WAS INCAPABLE OF SUPPLYING FUEL TO THE AIRCRAFT INVERTED AND WHEN THE FUEL QUANTITY WAS LOW.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,591 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 71 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 9,600 as pilot in command; 600 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 295 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 11, 1987; 19 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.