Brown PITTS SPECIAL accident near Bridgeville, California, July 20, 1986
On July 20, 1986 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Brown PITTS SPECIAL, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N9BB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bridgeville, California (Ruth airport). 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
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
- July 20, 1986 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bridgeville, California · Ruth · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brown PITTS SPECIAL PITTS SPEC, amateur-built
- Registration
- N9BB · no longer on the register · serial S-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED THE PLT MADE 4 OR 5 LOW PASSES OVER THE RWY PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. DURING EACH PASS THE ACFT WAS ROLLED INVERTED, THE ENG WOULD QUIT AND THE PLT WOULD ROLL THE ACFT UPRIGHT. ON THE LAST PASS, ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ENG QUIT AGAIN, THE ACFT STALLED AND COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN DURING A TURN BACK TOWARD THE ARPT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 440 hours in all; 77 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 410 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 466 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Q95 Ruth CA at 5:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,170 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N9BB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.