Aviat PITTS S2B accident near Junction City, Kansas, July 29, 1995
On July 29, 1995 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Aviat PITTS S2B, registered N1585P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Junction City, Kansas (Freeman Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to abort the landing despite excessive speed and insufficient runway length remaining. Contributing factors were the pilot's lack of experience in the make and model aircraft, and the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 1995 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Junction City, Kansas · Freeman Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat PITTS S2B
- Registration
- N1585P · no longer on the register · serial 5322
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES SAID THE AIRPLANE APPROACHED FOR LANDING WITH EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED AND FLOATED DOWN THE RUNWAY UNTIL INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINED TO STOP. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT CONTINUED PAST THE END OF THE RUNWAY, THROUGH A FIELD AND CAME TO REST IN A DRAINAGE DITCH APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT TOLD INVESTIGATORS THAT THE CROSSWIND MADE THE LANDING DIFFICULT. THE PILOT HAD A TOTAL FLYING TIME OF 13 HOURS IN MAKE AND MODEL.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,030 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 414 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 1995; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-540-D4AS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GLD Goodland KS at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 3JC KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 1,927 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from MHK, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.