Amateur-built PITTS S1S accident near Friendswood, Texas, March 2, 1987
On March 2, 1987 at about 10:50 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS S1S, registered N815DB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Friendswood, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- March 2, 1987 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Friendswood, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PITTS S1S
- Registration
- N815DB · registry record · serial 70422
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PROP SEPARATED DURING FLT AND THE PLT WAS FORCED TO LAND THE ACFT ON ROUGH TERRAIN. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PROP HAD SEPARATED AS A RESULT OF A PREVIOUSLY EXISTING CRACK IN THE ENG CRANKSHAFT. THE ENG HAD BEEN REBUILT FROM COMPONENTS SALVAGED FROM AN ENG INVOLVED IN A PREVIOUS WRECK AND INSTALLED BY A NON-CERTIFICATED MECHANIC.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 6,439 hours in all; 37 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 3,458 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 352 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 19, 1986
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: T02 Friendswood TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from HOU, 5 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.