Amateur-built PITTS S-1S accident near Mitchellville, Maryland, June 5, 1999
On June 5, 1999 at about 12:30 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS S-1S, registered N86RK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mitchellville, Maryland (Freeway 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
was the loss of braking action on the left side due to a broken brake caliper.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 5, 1999 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mitchellville, Maryland · Freeway Airport · 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-1S
- Registration
- N86RK · registry record · serial K036
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After landing, the pilot applied the brakes and experienced no braking action on the left side. The airplane departed the left side of the runway, struck a ditch, nosed over, and came to rest inverted. Examination of the left brake revealed the brake caliper was broken at the forward dowel pin hole.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,286 hours in all; 85 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 3,126 as pilot in command; 1,103 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 752 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 17, 1999; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AEIO-360-B4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W00 at 7:50 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,450 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from ADW, 9 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.