Amateur-built PITTS S2-E accident near Homestead, Florida, March 29, 1986
On March 29, 1986 at about 11:42 pm local time, a amateur-built PITTS S2-E, registered N777GH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Homestead, Florida (Homestead General Avn. 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
- March 29, 1986 · about 11:42 pm local time
- Place
- Homestead, Florida · Homestead General Avn. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PITTS S2-E
- Registration
- N777GH · registry record · serial 1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 600 FEET AFTER DEPARTURE, THE FLIGHT EXPERIENCED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. WHILE RETURNING TO THE AIRPORT ALTITUDE COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. POST CRASH INSPECTION REVEALED THE NUMBER 4 CYLINDER HAD FAILED AT THE POINT THE CYLINDER HEAD AND CYLINDER BARREL ARE SCREWED TOGETHER. METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE FAILURE OCCURRED DUE TO CORROSION AND DIFFUSION OF IRON FROM THE CYLINDER BARREL OVER A 3 INCH AREA AT THE 3RD THREAD. THIS RESULTED IN FATIGUE AND OVERSTRESS FAILURE. CORROSION WAS FOUND TO HAVE INITIATED DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF CHLORINE IN THE THREADED AREA. WHEN THE CYLINDER WAS OVERHAULED IN FEBRUARY 1980, 214 FLIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE FAILURE, TRICHLOROETHLENE VAPOR DEGREASER WAS USED TO CLEAN THE CYLINDER PRIOR TO OVERHAUL. AFTER USE OF THE VAPOR DEGREASER THE CYLINDER WAS NOT HEATED TO REMOVE ANY EXCESS CHEMICAL FROM THE CRACKS OF THE CYLINDER.
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: 1,011 hours in all; 97 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 948 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 214 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 28, 1986; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: TMB Miami FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from TMB, 10 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.