Pitts S-1S accident near Burleson, Texas, January 3, 2004
On January 3, 2004 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Pitts S-1S, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N9AQ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burleson, Texas (Rafter J 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 separation of the right main gear wheel, during landing, due to the improper maintenance by unknown maintenance personnel on the right main landing gear assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 2004 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Burleson, Texas · Rafter J Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S-1S, amateur-built · all S-1Ss on the register
- Registration
- N9AQ · registry record · serial 568-H
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing at a private airstrip, the right main gear separated from the aircraft. Shortly after touchdown, the right gear strut dug into the grass for approximately 75 feet before the aircraft nosed over and came to rest inverted. Inspection of the amateur-built aircraft revealed that there was an old crack on the flange where it was welded to the axle nut. A new fracture had propagated from the ends of this crack around the lower axle shaft bolt, causing the other 3 remaining bolts to fracture and separate. Examination also revealed that the axle shaft had been cut off next to the backing plate flange and an axle shaft similar to what is used on a Cessna spring gear was bolted to the flange with four quarter-inch bolts. The FAA Inspector found the separated wheel with a piece of the flange still attached to it by one of the bolts. The flange was able to swivel around the bolt, suggesting that the bolt (and the 3 other bolts) was improperly torqued.
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: 259 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 172 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 3, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,486.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 22, 2003; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FWS Burleson TX at 6:40 pm
- Destination: 3TX9 Burleson TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 12,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 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.
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 FTW04LA056.