Amateur-built PITTS S-1 and Cessna L-19E mid-air collision near Mckinney, Texas, March 28, 1986
On March 28, 1986 at about 7:00 pm local time, 2 aircraft, amateur-built PITTS S-1 (N66D) and Cessna L-19E (N4431B), were involved in a mid-air collision near Mckinney, Texas (Aero Country airport). 1 person was seriously injured; 3 others were unhurt. 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 1986 · about 7:00 pm local time · cases in 1986
- Place
- Mckinney, Texas · Aero Country · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Amateur-built PITTS S-1
- Registration
- N66D · registry record · serial 248H
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Cessna L-19E · all L-19Es on the register
- Registration
- N4431B · registry record · serial 24513
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built PITTS S-1 final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS A PITTS SPECIAL, N66D, WAS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LND, A CESSNA L-19E TOWPLANE, N4431B, WAS ON THE 1300' GRASS OVERRUN NEAR THE APCH END OF THE RWY WITH A GLIDER BEING READIED FOR TOW. THE GLIDER (SAILPLANE) WAS A GROB 103, N226BG.THE PLT OF THE PITTS STATED HE NOTICED SVRL GLIDERS & TOWPLANES PARKED ON/NEAR THE OVERRUN, BUT SINCE THE USUAL PRACTICEWAS TO PARK SUCH ACFT IN THAT AREA, HE DID NOT CONSIDER THEIR PRESENCE AN INDCN OF IMMINENT TAKEOFF. AS THE PITTS CONTD ON FINAL APCH, THE TOWPLANE & GLIDER STARTED TAKING OFF. SHORTLY AFTER THE TOWPLANE LIFTED OFF, IT & THE PITTS CONVERGEDVERTICALLY & COLLIDED. THE PITTS THEN ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DSCNT & CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, BUT THE PLTWAS SECURED IN THE ACFT BY A 5 POINT HARNESS & A LAP BELT & SURVIVED. THE TOWPLANE'S LEFT WING TIP WAS DAMAGED, BUT THE PLANE CONTD FLYING & LNDD SAFELY. RPRTDLY, THE WING WALKER FOR THE GLIDER WAS INEXPERIENCED & DID NOT CONFIRM THE LNDG TRAFFIC OR SIGNAL FOR THE TOWPLT TO DELAY THE TAKEOFF.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Cessna L-19E final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS A PITTS SPECIAL, N66D, WAS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN TO LND, A CESSNA L-19E TOWPLANE, N4431B, WAS ON THE 1300' GRASS OVERRUN NEAR THE APCH END OF THE RWY WITH A GLIDER BEING READIED FOR TOW. THE GLIDER (SAILPLANE) WAS A GROB 103, N226BG.THE PLT OF THE PITTS STATED HE NOTICED SVRL GLIDERS & TOWPLANES PARKED ON/NEAR THE OVERRUN, BUT SINCE THE USUAL PRACTICEWAS TO PARK SUCH ACFT IN THAT AREA, HE DID NOT CONSIDER THEIR PRESENCE AN INDCN OF IMMINENT TAKEOFF. AS THE PITTS CONTD ON FINAL APCH, THE TOWPLANE & GLIDER STARTED TAKING OFF. SHORTLY AFTER THE TOWPLANE LIFTED OFF, IT & THE PITTS CONVERGEDVERTICALLY & COLLIDED. THE PITTS THEN ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DSCNT & CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE, BUT THE PLTWAS SECURED IN THE ACFT BY A 5 POINT HARNESS & A LAP BELT & SURVIVED. THE TOWPLANE'S LEFT WING TIP WAS DAMAGED, BUT THE PLANE CONTD FLYING & LNDD SAFELY. RPRTDLY, THE WING WALKER FOR THE GLIDER WAS INEXPERIENCED & DID NOT CONFIRM THE LNDG TRAFFIC OR SIGNAL THE TOWPLT TO DELAY THE TAKEOFF.
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 for the amateur-built PITTS S-1 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 740 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,950 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from DAL, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Cessna L-19E from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,430 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-11 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 2,950 ft by 40 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N66D on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- N4431B on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna L-19 41 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C 46 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Continental O-470-11 4 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Bud Dryden Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,063 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,976 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW86FA049.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.