Pitts S-1S accident near Henryetta, Oklahoma, June 2, 1989
On June 2, 1989 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Pitts S-1S, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N64652, was destroyed in an accident near Henryetta, Oklahoma. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN ENGINE POWER LOSS DUE TO THE SEPARATION AND DEPARTURE OF AN EXHAUST STACK. THE STACK FAILED DUE TO POOR WELD. FACTOR(S) WAS: THE TERRAIN CONDITIONS OF THE SELECTED FORCED LANDING SITE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 1989 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Henryetta, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pitts S-1S, amateur-built · all S-1Ss on the register
- Registration
- N64652 · no longer on the register · serial 731-H
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
POWER LOSS OCCURRED DUE TO SEPARATION AND DEPARTURE OF LOWER 1/2 RT EXHAUST STACK. PLT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON THE 2 NORTHBOUND LANES OF A DIVIDED HWY. ON SHORT FINAL, THE ACFT STRUCK POWER LINES, CRASHED, AND SLID INTO A TRUCK TRAVELLING NORTH. A PASSENGER CAR, TRAVELLING SOUTH, BECAME ENTANGLED IN THE WIRES AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER BEHICLE. THE POWER LINE POLES WERE MASKED FROM VIEW BY TREES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE ROAD. EXAMINATION OF THE EXHAUST STACK REVEALED THAT IT HAD UNDERGONE EXTENSIVE POST-MANUFACTURE REPAIRS IN THE AREA OF THE SEPARATION. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF EXTENSIVE WELD FUSION ZONE POROSITY IN THE AREA THAT HAD BEEN WELDED. WELD FUSION ZONE POROSITY HAS BEEN ATTRIBUTED IN THE PAST TO POOR SURFACE PREPARATION AND WELD REPAIR TECHNIQUES.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,300 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 2,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 55 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 25, 1988; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MLC Mc Alester OK at 8:00 pm
- Destination: BVO Bartlesville OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from MLC, 35 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.