Pitts Special S-1S accident near Huntsville, Texas, May 26, 1982
On May 26, 1982 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Pitts Special S-1S, registered N166S, was destroyed in an accident near Huntsville, Texas. 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
- May 26, 1982 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Huntsville, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts Special S-1S · all S-1Ss on the register
- Registration
- N166S · no longer on the register · serial 7-0124
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT DURING FLIGHT AT 1500 FT AGL, THERE WAS A VIOLENT EXPLOSIVE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE AND BLACK SMOKE ENTERED THE COCKPIT. HE ELECTED TO LAND BETWEEN CARS ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. HE CLEARED OVER ONE CAR, BUT THE DRIVER OF THE NEXT CAR ABOUT 300 FT AHEAD PUT ON HIS BRAKES. THE PILOT MANEUVERED TO THE MEDIAN, BUT RIGHT GEAR STRUCK A BUSH. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLANE FLIPPED AND CAME TO REST IN AN INVERTED POSITION. THE DRIVER OF A PASSING CAR AND A FRIEND TURNED THE AIRCRAFT RIGHT SIDE UP AND HELPED THE PILOT OUT OF THE PLANE. THE PILOT STATED THAT A BEARING FAILURE CAUSED THE LOSS OF POWER.
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
- Flight time: 2,551 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 2,380 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 142 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Huntsville TX
- Destination: Conroe TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 185°F (85°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.