Amateur-built PITTS S-1 accident near Edna, Texas, September 9, 1990
On September 9, 1990 at about 6:30 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS S-1, registered N2MN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Edna, Texas (Jackson CO. 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
A POWER LOSS DUE TO FAILURE OF A CONNECTING ROD BOLT. A FACTOR WAS THE SOFT TERRAIN IN WHICH THE FORCED LANDING WAS PERFORMED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 1990 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Edna, Texas · Jackson CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PITTS S-1
- Registration
- N2MN · no longer on the register · serial L-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
TEN MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT RADIOED THAT THE ENGINE HAD LOST OIL PRESSURE AND HE ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT. ABOUT THREE MILES NORTH OF THE AIRPORT THE PILOT PERFORMED A FORCED LANDING INTO A FIELD. UPON LANDING, THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER MAKING ONE COMPLETE REVOLUTION, AND CAME TO REST ON THE MAIN GEAR AND NOSE. A CONNECTING ROD BOLT ON THE NUMBER FOUR CYLINDER FAILED. THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE CASE WAS VIOLATED AND THE OIL SUMP CONTAINED METAL SHAVINGS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,011 hours in all; 242 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 844 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 892 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,150 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: FWS Fort Worth TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from VCT, 19 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.