Amateur-built PITTS S-1S accident near Rio, Wisconsin, July 11, 1988
On July 11, 1988 at about 10:30 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS S-1S, registered N77LG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rio, Wisconsin. 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
- July 11, 1988 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rio, Wisconsin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PITTS S-1S
- Registration
- N77LG · registry record · serial 451 H
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHEN THE PILOT OF THE AMATEUR BUILT BIPLANE INITIATED A GO-AROUND FROM A VFR APPROACH, HE FOUND THAT HE HAD NO RESPONSE TO THROTTLE APPLICATION. HE THEN EXECUTED AN INTENTIONAL FORCED LANDING IN AN ADJACENT FIELD. DURING THIS LANDING THE AIRCRAFT COLLAPSED A MAIN LANDING GEAR AND NOSED OVER. POST ACC INVEST REVEALED THAT THE THROTTLE LINKAGE WAS BROKEN.
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: 174 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 130 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 42 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 24, 1987; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,000 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 am from MSN, 22 miles away
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.